Do I need pelvic floor therapy?
Everyone should see a pelvic floor therapist! Our pelvic floor muscles support our internal organs, maintain strength to hold the contents of our bladder and bowels, and relax to facilitate urination, bowel evacuation, sexual activity and childbirth. With a job as important as this, wouldn’t you want to know if your pelvic floor was functioning properly?
That being said, these are the specific pelvic health symptoms that indicate your pelvic floor may not be functioning optimally:
BLADDER
Do you leak urine with any activity or exercise?
Do you go to the toilet more than once every 2-3 hours?
Do you experience a strong urge to go to the bathroom and have difficulty holding on?
Are you unable to stop the flow of urine? (Please note that we do NOT encourage this as an exercise but can be a helpful once-off test)
Do you have difficulty starting the stream of urine?
Are you unable to completely empty your bladder?
BOWEL
Do you experience difficulty holding stool in?
Do you have any trouble getting everything out?
Do you experience constipation requiring you to strain to empty your bowels?
SEXUAL
Do you have ANY pain with sex? Keep in mind that 'pain' can range from mild discomfort to intense, sharp burning pain.
Do you struggle to reach orgasm?
PAIN
Do you have any discomfort or pain around the vulva (or labia) with tight clothing or light touch to the area?
Do you have any pain with urinating or bowel movements?
Do you have any pain in the vagina?
Do you have any sharp stabbing pains into the rectum OR abdomen?
PROLAPSE
Do you feel any heaviness or pressure in the vagina or rectum?
Have you noticed a bulge into the vagina or the feeling of something 'falling out'?
OTHER
Do you have tailbone pain lasting more than one month?
Do you have pain in your pubic bone, sacro-iliac joint (SIJ), lower back, hip or groin that doesn't respond to regular treatment?
Do you have separation of the abdominals (diastasis recti) that causes pain, discomfort, or makes exercise difficult?