Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Despite being so important, the pelvic floor remains a mystery to modern medicine – comparable to the brain – both because of its complexity and some good old-fashioned sexism - Cecilia Marotta
image by: NBC New York
HWN Recommends
The Body Part You’re Probably (But Definitely Shouldn’t Be) Overlooking
When local pelvic-floor yoga therapist Debbie Brownstein first became aware of her own pelvic floor, she was 30 years old.
One year after having her first child, she was grooving to the live sounds of the Disco Biscuits with friends. One of them had brought a mini trampoline to the concert (*makes mental note to go to a concert with Brownstein and her friends*), but when it was Brownstein’s turn to jump, something unexpected happened. “Three jumps in, I peed myself. I was shocked — this had never happened to me before,” she says...
“I was so frustrated,” Brownstein says. “I kept wondering why nobody up to this point of my life had told me what a pelvic floor is or what…
Resources
The big squeeze: welcome to the pelvic floor revolution
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/apr/29/the-big-squeeze-welcome-to-the-pelvic-floor-revolution
How to work out your pelvic floor (and why everyone should)
Talk of pelvic floor muscles may bring to mind images of jade eggs, but while buying expensive rocks to stick up your nethers is a bad idea, maintaining a strong pelvic floor is a great one. Here’s everything you never knew you needed to know about keeping that pelvic floor jacked:
The Common Women’s Health Issue Too Few Talk About
Many women are too embarrassed to seek help for pelvic floor dysfunction, but doctors have solutions.
What is the pelvic floor and how pandemic life could be harming yours
“The need for pelvic [physical therapy] has kind of exploded in the last year,” said Jeffrey-Thomas, who started posting informative videos about pelvic health on TikTok during the pandemic, many of which have gone viral. Yet, she and other experts said, awareness and education about pelvic floor issues, which can affect any person regardless of gender, are lacking.
Can Pelvic Floor Therapy Relieve Postpartum Pain?
Maybe. Here’s what to know.
Meet The Company Offering An Innovative Medication-Free Approach To Better Pelvic Floor Health, Bringing Female Urinary Incontinence Out Of The Closet
There’s, of course, do-it-yourself treatment for urinary incontinence that’s backed by medical data—it’s Kegels: the pelvic floor exercises women are encouraged to do after childbirth. However, data show only 25% of Kegel-enthusiasts do them correctly.
Pain during sex? Incontinence or constipation? You might benefit from pelvic floor physiotherapy
The pelvic floor muscles span the private area under the pelvis. They are responsible not only for helping to control the passage of urine, stool and gas, but also for allowing comfort and pleasure during sex. These muscles also support the pelvic organs and help with balance and stability. It is important to be able to contract and to relax these muscles. Pelvic floor exercises train the muscles for the desired result, and are sometimes referred to as “targeted” Kegels.
Pelvic Floor Advice That Could Help Improve Your Sex Life
Despite being so important, the pelvic floor remains a mystery to modern medicine – comparable to the brain – both because of its complexity and some good old-fashioned sexism.
Should all women do pelvic floor exercises? We asked five experts
Pelvic floor disorders affect many women, and health professionals often recommend exercising the pelvic floor muscles in order to keep them strong to reduce symptoms and prevent disorder.
What is the best pelvic floor training device?
Strains to the pelvic floor muscle can pose substantial challenges to the individual experiencing issues to this region of the body. There are various devices available to help improve one’s pelvic floor, however which is the best device to train your pelvic floor?
What no one tells new moms about what childbirth can do to their bodies
Postnatal care in America is pitiful.
The Body Part You’re Probably (But Definitely Shouldn’t Be) Overlooking
Your pelvic floor plays a key role in so many activities: exercising, having sex, delivering a baby, breathing. Why are so few people talking about it?
Five ways to strengthen your pelvic floor
Using apps and exercises, women and men can benefit from keeping their pelvic floor muscles healthy.
Voices for PFD
VoicesforPFD.org is a website and online community developed by AUGS to educate patients and caregivers about pelvic floor disorders, and to create a unique space for women to connect with other patients.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
A PFD occurs when the muscles or connective tissues of the pelvic area weaken or are injured. The most common PFDs are urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. PFDs are more common among older women.
StatPearls
The clinical aspects of PFD can be urologic, gynecologic, or colorectal and are often interrelated. Another way to compartmentalize the concerns are anterior- urethra/bladder, middle- vagina/uterus and posterior- anus/rectum.
Introducing Stitches!
Your Path to Meaningful Connections in the World of Health and Medicine
Connect, Collaborate, and Engage!
Coming Soon - Stitches, the innovative chat app from the creators of HWN. Join meaningful conversations on health and medical topics. Share text, images, and videos seamlessly. Connect directly within HWN's topic pages and articles.