The muscles that support the reproductive and urinary tract – including the urinary bladder, the uterus in women, the prostate in men, the rectum including the tissues surrounding the urethra, rectum, and the vagina in women – is often referred to as the pelvic floor. These connective muscles are anatomically attached to the pelvis, sacrum, and tailbone. Additionally, they provide support in the regulation of bladder and bowel functions.
When these muscles fail to work accordingly, they cause symptoms like pain among others that get in the way of the performance of activities of daily living or ADLs. Physical therapy from pelvic floor therapy NYC clinics helps relieve pain and other associated symptoms to get a person’s normal functioning back.
What Pelvic Floor Therapy NYC Is and Is Not
Pelvic floor therapy NYC is a treatment to aid in addressing symptoms such as pain, weakness, and other dysfunctions in the pelvic floor muscles. A patient’s therapy modalities or types prescribed by pelvic floor therapy NYC therapists depend upon the symptoms they are experiencing. Some pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms may require relaxing and lengthening exercises, while others may require the opposite or strengthening muscle exercises.
Pelvic floor therapy NYC treatments are used to treat dysfunctions of the pelvic floor and their associated symptoms. Some symptoms that can help address pelvic floor therapy NYC therapies are:
- Urinary problems like incontinence, frequency, urgency, painful urination, difficulty in starting or stopping urination, and bladder emptying difficulties
- Bowel problems include fecal incontinence and constipation, straining or pain during bowel movements
- Unexplained pain in the pelvic area, genital area, or rectal area
- Painful intercourse
- A diagnosis of interstitial cystitis, recommendations for diet and supplements and natural treatment of IC
Pelvic floor therapy NYC treatments may be right for patients with the above-mentioned symptoms or diagnosis.
Healthcare Practitioners in Pelvic Floor Therapy NYC Clinic Settings
When a patient’s attending physician recommends pelvic floor physical therapy, they should make sure they find a pelvic floor therapy NYC clinic with doctors and physical therapists trained in pelvic floor treatment techniques proven to alleviate symptoms from IC and pelvic pain dysfunctions.
Patients should consider clinics of pelvic floor therapy NYC with urogynecologists and physical therapist practitioners that work together to provide women and men expert care in an understanding and comfortable setting. These healthcare practitioners should be knowledgeable and experienced specialists that are updated with the latest options for the treatment of pelvic floor disorders.
What to Expect from Pelvic Floor Therapy NYC Procedures
When working with physical therapists in a pelvic floor therapy NYC clinic to address pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms, some things are to be expediently expected.
At the first appointment
Many patients are nervous or anxious when beginning therapy in a pelvic floor therapy NYC clinic thus a physical therapist should explain what the therapy entails and should be able to address the patient’s concerns and questions satisfactorily.
The therapy should also be in a private room where therapy is only begun when the patient is comfortable and ready. Bear in mind that this is still “physical therapy” – only it is for a more intimate part of the body.
The physical therapist will also likely be doing some assessment before determining the type of therapy that can be most effective for a patient. Assessments may include a look into both external and internal pelvic floor muscles. Patients may be asked to stand, sit and walk for the therapist to visualize whether a posture or joint issue has affected the pelvic floor muscle functions.
During treatment sessions
Physical therapies for the pelvic floor are done in pelvic floor therapy NYC clinics like many out-patient therapies include exercise, movement coordination, and hands-on techniques. Incorporating electronic therapies are also helpful in this setting.
One therapy is called biofeedback wherein a small, painless electrode/s is applied to the treatment area – perianal, genital, or rectal. Biofeedback is an effective way to improve bladder function in many patients.
Therapists may need to perform an internal examination as necessary. It can be uncomfortable but it is a rather crucial part of an appointment. To assess that the pelvic floor is working, the physical therapist needs to see and assess the area to thereby recommend and perform correct and safe physical therapy modalities.
Length of treatments
For pelvic floor therapy NYC treatments, 1 visit per week for 8 weeks is not an uncommon picture. The length of treatments however varies depending on the patient’s diagnosis, the dysfunction severity, and the patient’s individual goals. The goal of pelvic floor therapy NYC treatments is to aid the patients to return to their most ideal level of function to enjoy free, more active, and independent activities of daily living.
Hands-on physical therapy treatments
The majority of the treatment for pelvic floor dysfunction provided by pelvic floor therapy NYC clinics are hands-on including both internal and external therapies. Internal physical therapy may not appeal to some people and so therapists do not often begin with this kind of treatment and wait until the patient is ready to undergo it. Internal techniques may include the use of specialized instruments or the passing of a finger into the vagina or rectum to perform trigger point therapies. The trigger point technique can also be done by administering pressure on certain spots or by anesthesia injections to the trigger points done by a doctor or nurse practitioner and not a physical therapist.
External physical therapy techniques on the other hand can include nerve release, trigger point therapy, deep tissue massages, skin rolling, and joint mobilizations.
Dependent on the patient’s condition, pelvic floor therapy NYC therapists may suggest Kegel exercises to strengthen muscles also. The therapist can also teach and instruct on the proper way to do Kegels exercises.
Pelvic Floor Therapy NYC Treatment Results
After treatments from a pelvic floor therapy NYC clinic, patients should be able to achieve results like returning to a favorite sport, a day without incontinence throughout, and being able to start a family.
Patients should be able to notice improvements with several sessions. Adjustments can be made when re-assessment is done if the patient does not report any change in the symptoms. But it is also helpful to remember that recovery is a process and occurs at different paces for each person.
After reaching the goal, it is recommended that patients check in with pelvic floor therapy NYC therapists once or twice a year.
How to Choose a Pelvic Floor Therapy NYC Facility
Patients should importantly find a pelvic floor therapy NYC clinic or facility with physical therapists that are well-rounded, with knowledge, and specializing in pelvic floor dysfunctions. A long experience with treating pelvic floor dysfunctions should be a great advantage.