Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Awareness Month

We’ve all probably heard advice or opinions pertaining to pelvic floor dysfunction at some point:

“Leaking just happens as you get older, so live with it”

“Just have a glass of wine before sex”

“Do some kegels - that will fix it” 

While these comments are often well-intentioned, they can minimize the underlying dysfunction instead of addressing it. As a result, symptoms are dismissed and people live with challenges they might not have to live with. 

As we kick off Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Awareness month, I want to highlight the word Dysfunction. 

Dysfunction describes something that is not working in the way it is supposed to work. The pelvic floor is supposed to allow us to control when we go to the bathroom, help with sexual function, and support us during daily activities. If it's not functioning properly, then you could have symptoms such as urinary leakage, pelvic pain, pressure or heaviness, bowel issues, painful intercourse, and more. Many of these symptoms have become normalized that people assume they’re simply a part of aging or that proper function after childbirth is impossible. 

But if you leak urine every time you sneeze, feel pressure or heaviness throughout the day, or experience pain with activities that should be comfortable, your body is telling you something -  your pelvic floor may need support. 

That support can look different for everyone. It may involve building strength, improving coordination, reducing muscle tension, managing stress, changing movement patterns, or addressing other lifestyle factors. In pelvic floor physical therapy, we don’t just treat symptoms, we work to understand why they’re happening. We look at all of these factors and create an individualized treatment plan that fits what you need. 

Our pelvic floors are resilient. They deserve the same thoughtful assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation that we would expect for any other part of the body. This month, let's change the idea that pelvic floor symptoms are just something you have to live with. Let's name the dysfunction and seek treatment. Because common doesn’t mean normal. It means there are a lot of people living with symptoms that may be treatable.

Best in health,

Abbie Puskas, PT, DPT