Pelvic Floor Disorders

Types of Pelvic Floor Disorders

Pelvic Floor disorders affect different women in different ways and it is important to understand that the type and severity of symptoms are not the same for everyone.

Based on these types, Pelvic Floor Disorders can be classified into several different types, the most common of which are listed below:

• Pelvic Organ Prolapse: It is a disorder in which one or more pelvic organs, such as the Bladder, Uterus, or Rectum, swell into the vaginal canal. This might result in discomfort, pain, and trouble urinating or passing bowel movements.
• Urinary Incontinence: Urinary incontinence is a condition in which a person's pee leaks involuntarily. This can occur when the pelvic floor muscles are weakened or injured.
• Faecal Incontinence: Faecal incontinence is a condition in which a person's faeces leak involuntarily. This can occur when the rectum and anus muscles and nerves are injured or weakened.

When should you consider seeing our experts?

You should consider seeing our experts if you are experiencing any of the symptoms associated with pelvic floor disorders, especially if these are interfering with the quality of your day-to-day life.

The most common of these include:

• Dripping urine when you cough, sneeze laugh or indulge in a physical activity
• Not being able to hold your urine 
• Vaginal flatulence or queef
• Bulge or feeling of pressure in the vaginal region
• Numbness in the vagina
• A sensation of heaviness in the vagina, pelvis and back
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Pain during or after sex
• Inability to have an orgasm

What causes Pelvic Floor Disorders?

Pelvic Floor Disorders can be caused by a variety of different factors that contribute to weakening your Pelvic Floor muscles.

Your Pelvic Floor Disorders can be the result of any of the following:

• Stretching of muscles during pregnancy
• Strain caused during childbirth
• Increased pressure due to excessive body weight]
• Chronic constipation
• Persistent coughing
• Surgery that involves the pelvic muscles
• Decrease in estrogen levels post menopause
• Age-related wear and tear
• Tension caused by conditions like endometriosis

Pelvic Floor Disorders and Fertility

Pelvic Floor Disorders do not have a direct impact on your pregnancy, however, some of the underlying conditions that it may be linked to, can.

This involves conditions like Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. If you have been diagnosed with any of these, our experts can help you with the finest treatments to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Pelvic Floor Disorders and Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the most common causes of Pelvic Floor Disorders and as many as 50% of women experience the problem even before the baby is born.

This could be due to the physical changes in the body, such as weight gain, enlarged uterus and increased blood volume; hormonal changes and complications like constipation, which are common during pregnancy.

Pelvic Floor Disorders are also common in women who’ve had a long and difficult labour.

How we diagnose you

If you are presenting with the symptoms of pelvic floor disorder, our initial goal is to determine the underlying cause in order to curate personalized treatments that yield the best outcomes for you.

Our team generally starts by asking questions related to your medical history and symptoms, followed by a proper pelvic examination.

Other tests that you might be recommended to go for, include:

• Surface electrodes for assessing pelvic muscle control externally
• Anorectal manometry for testing pressure and muscle strength
• Defecating proctogram for analyzing bowel movement
• Uroflow test for analyzing bladder function

Treatments 

Treatment for Pelvic Floor Diseases varies depending on the kind and severity of the disorder.

At Surya Hospital, we offer the most advanced and innovative solutions, to help you manage the problem in an efficient and effective way. Here are some common approaches used by our team. 

• Pelvic floor exercises, commonly known as Kegel exercises, to help strengthen and enhance the function of the pelvic floor muscles.
• Medications, to treat symptoms associated with pelvic floor diseases, such as incontinence.
• Surgical interventions to restore or reinforce the pelvic floor muscles.
• Making lifestyle adjustments like reducing weight, eating a nutritious diet, and avoiding constipation can help prevent or manage pelvic pain.