5 Tips For Pelvic Health

5 Tips for Pelvic Health

 1.     Don’t push to pee. You should not have to force urine out. During the process of urination, our pelvic floor muscles must relax. A healthy bladder works best when we relax the muscles so the bladder can contract, and the flow of urine starts. If you are having difficulty starting your stream if you do not push, this is an indication to reach out to the pelvic floor physical therapist. We can help determine if this is a pelvic floor issue or if you need to be referred on to another specialist.

2.     No scrubbing “down there”. The vagina is a self-cleaning machine. There is no need to use scented soaps and scrubbing to clean our vaginal area. Women have a natural odor or scent of the vagina. Hormone changes can have an impact on this odor. If you are experiencing a change in this odor, whether that be a stronger odor or different odor, first determine if you are experiencing a time of hormone fluctuation – menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, or menopause. If you are not, then there are other causes of a change in odor, and this would be a time to consult your primary care physician to rule out any of these causes. However, if there is no known cause, embrace the scent and know that this is normal. Do not try to scrub it away. Scrubbing and douching can change the healthy pH makeup in the area and cause further issues. Rather, use running water only to cleanse the area.

3.     Learn how to relax your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is just like any other muscles – it must contract to be strong, but it must also relax and be flexible, as well as contract at the right time (aka coordination). Most of what we hear about the pelvic floor is surrounding Kegel’s or pelvic floor contractions. However, the relaxation of the pelvic floor is equally important. To be strong, a muscle must be able to relax and lengthen. Our pelvic floor must relax during important functions of life – intercourse, bowel movements, urination, delivering a baby, and at the right time all throughout our day. If we have a pelvic floor that is strong and only strong, this becomes a tight pelvic floor. A tight pelvic floor can be just as problematic as a weak pelvic floor. More on this in our next point.

4.     Don’t kegel all day long. Like previously stated, pelvic floor contractions are important, but it is not functional for us to be contracted all day long. Think about if you contracted any other muscle all day long, such as your bicep. If your bicep was constantly contracted, then you would not be able to pick up your bag or kids when you need to, because you do not know how to straight or relax your arm. A coordinated pelvic floor should kegel when it needs to and relax when it needs to.

5.     Know when to get help. There are some key signs and symptoms that indicate you may need to see a pelvic floor physical therapist. We as pelvic floor physical therapists at Pelvic Wellness are skilled at determining if your symptoms may be due to is a bigger issue that indicates referral onto a physician and can help you navigate this process. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, consider scheduling a pelvic floor physical therapy evaluation.

-       Urinary incontinence

-       Urinary urgency

-       Difficulty or pain with urination

-       Pelvic organ prolapse

-       Vaginal heaviness

-       Functional constipation (includes IBS, IBD)

-       Difficulty with gas or fecal control

-       Pain with intercourse

-       Pelvic pain (between the belly button and the knees)

-       Pregnancy-related low back, hip or pelvic pain

-       Postpartum difficult with return to exercise

-       Diastasis recti 

In many states, including the state of Nebraska, you do not need a referral to see a pelvic floor physical therapist. Call a pelvic floor therapist today to schedule an evaluation for your symptoms.