Pelvic Health Changes in Menopause
Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life that brings significant changes, both physically and emotionally. One area that many women are often surprised to be affected in is their pelvic health. Hormonal shifts during menopause can lead to a variety of symptoms that impact the pelvic floor, bladder, and sexual health. Awareness surrounding the impact of these changes in menopause is poor at best; however, the good news is that there are several treatment options that can help symptoms, including pelvic floor therapy. In this blog we will explore the changes that women experience during menopause and how pelvic floor therapy as well as additional treatment avenues can support women during this time of change.
Common Pelvic Health Changes in Menopause
Pelvic Floor Muscle Weakness Estrogen plays a key role in maintaining the strength and elasticity of pelvic floor muscles. As estrogen levels decrease during menopause, the pelvic floor muscles can become weaker, leading to issues like urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and difficulty with bowel movements. This doesn’t mean you just need to do kegels – the pelvic floor is much more intricate than that… keep reading.
Urinary Symptoms Many women experience an increase in urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage after menopause. This happens because the tissues in the bladder and urethra lose their elasticity, and the pelvic floor muscles may not be as strong as they used to be. Together, these changes can lead to urinary incontinence or a strong, sudden urge to urinate.
Vaginal Dryness and Pain Lower estrogen levels also cause thinning of the vaginal walls, reduced lubrication, and a decrease in natural elasticity. This can lead to discomfort, dryness, and pain during intercourse or everyday activities.
Pelvic Pain Some women experience pelvic pain due to changes in muscle function, scarring from childbirth or surgeries, or increased sensitivity of the vulvar tissues due to lower estrogen. Menopause can make these issues more noticeable or introduce new pain points.
How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help
Pelvic floor therapy focuses on improving the function of the pelvic floor muscles and surrounding areas to address bladder control and relieve pelvic-related pain. Here's how it can help women going through menopause:
Strengthening and Retraining the Pelvic Floor Pelvic floor physical therapists can assess the strength and coordination of the pelvic floor muscles and create a personalized program to restore muscle function. By improving pelvic floor strength and coordination, we can help alleviate incontinence, support pelvic organs, and restore confidence in daily activities.
Bladder and Bowel Control Urinary and bowel issues don’t have to be part of menopause. Pelvic floor therapists can guide you through exercises that retrain bladder habits, helping to reduce urgency, frequency, and leakage. We also provide education on how diet, fluid intake, and lifestyle adjustments can support bladder health.
Addressing Pelvic Pain For women experiencing pelvic pain, we work on identifying the root cause, whether it’s muscle tension, nerve irritation, or a combination of factors. Manual therapy, targeted exercises, and relaxation techniques are used to reduce pain, improve muscle coordination, and promote healing.
Improving Sexual Health Vaginal dryness, pain during sex, and a decline in libido are common concerns. While hormonal treatments can help with lubrication, pelvic floor therapy works on improving blood flow, reducing muscle tension, and enhancing sexual function. We also incorporate strategies to help you feel more comfortable and confident during intimacy.
Holistic Support for Menopause
At our clinic, we understand pelvic floor therapy is only one piece of the puzzle for providing treatment to women surrounded by menopause. That is why we take a holistic approach to recognize when our patients might need additional interventions to help manage the changes of menopause. We are experts at recognizing when we need to refer out and build of an even more conclusive team for your symptoms. Some of the additional providers we frequently work with are
Experts in hormone health: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) involves taking estrogen, sometimes combined with progesterone or testosterone, to replenish the hormones that decrease during menopause. HRT can be administered in various forms, including pills, patches, creams, gels, and vaginal tablets, allowing for individualized treatment based on specific needs and lifestyle. We are fortunate enough to work alongside the providers at Body Sculpt by Sakoon to combine our efforts in helping menopausal women.
Functional medicine or nutritionist: A functional healthcare provider specializes in addressing the changes of menopause through a holistic approach that includes individualized nutrition, lifestyle strategies, and natural supplementation to support a smoother transition. As hormones change during menopause, we can help our body function more optimally by being more aware of what we put in it and how we live our life.
Mental health therapist: The changes of menopause are not only physically difficult, but emotionally as well. Beyond common symptoms like hot flashes and sleep disturbances, many women experience mood swings, anxiety, depression, and changes in self-identity during menopause. A mental health therapist can be a valuable ally during this time, helping women process their experiences, develop coping strategies, and navigate this unique phase with resilience and self-compassion.
Acupuncturist: Acupuncture works by stimulating specific points on the body to rebalance energy and restore health. Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for some women experiencing menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, and mood swings. Acupuncture may also help with anxiety, fatigue, and vaginal dryness
Taking the Next Step
If you are experiencing pelvic health changes as you navigate menopause, know that you don’t have to suffer in silence. Pelvic floor therapy can be a powerful tool in helping you regain control, reduce discomfort, and improve your quality of life. Whether you're dealing with incontinence, pain, or changes in sexual function, we are here to support you every step of the way. We are happy to make referrals to other vital team members in our community if we feel it is necessary in your menopausal journey.
We make it simple for you to connect with us and begin your journey towards better pelvic health in menopause. You can get in touch with us through a variety of convenient methods:
Visit Our Website: Explore more about our services, read patient testimonials, and learn more about us on our website.
Schedule Online: Ready to book your appointment or consultation? Use our easy online scheduling tool to find a time that works for you.
Call Us: Prefer to speak with someone directly? We are happy to answer your questions and help you book your first appointment. Give us a call at 402-625-0313
Email Us: Have more detailed questions? Send us an email at nicole@pelvicwellnessomaha.com and we’ll get back to you promptly.
About Pelvic Wellness Physical Therapy
Pelvic Wellness Physical Therapy is a pelvic health specialty physical therapy clinic in Omaha, NE that focuses on individualized treatment of pelvic floor conditions to determine the root cause of the symptoms. Our goal is to evaluate every patient in a holistic manner to determine the best treatment methods to help return patients to what they love.
Pelvic floor symptoms can be embarrassing and lonely. When pee, poop and sex are not functioning the way we expect, our life is significantly impacted. Pelvic Wellness is here to listen and be your guide in eliminating these symptoms and regaining your life back.
If you are dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction or are wondering if you might be a good fit for an evaluation, call Pelvic Wellness Physical Therapy at (402)-625-0313 to set up a free 15-minute discovery call or contact us via our online contact form.
