Do You Have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Or One Of These Conditions?

At our physical therapy clinics often works with expectant and new mothers.

During pregnancy, your body will go through all sorts of changes.

One of the more common effects is pelvic floor dysfunction.

Pregnancy isn’t the only cause of pelvic floor dysfunction, to be fair.

It can also affect more than just women.

But it’s a common complaint among new mothers.

Now, if you’re feeling some discomfort in your pelvic region, you might assume it’s pelvic floor dysfunction.

But that’s not necessarily the case.

In fact, there are several other conditions that can mimic pelvic floor dysfunction.

We’re going to take a look at some of them today.

What Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a frequent topic on our blog.

We’ll briefly recap what pelvic floor dysfunction looks like here.

But for more details, take a look at this article that explains all about pelvic floor dysfunction.

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles in your pelvic area.

We also have this article to help you get a better understanding of your pelvic floor.

These muscles support your bladder, rectum, and uterus or prostate.

You might not think of it much, unless you have a dysfunction in the area.

If you have pelvic floor dysfunction, it’s because these muscles can’t relax properly, or have weakened.

This can cause things like:

• Urinary incontinence
• Fecal incontinence
• Difficulty emptying your bowels
• Dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse)
• Erectile dysfunction
• Lower back pain
• Pelvic pain

Pelvic floor dysfunction is often associated with pregnancy and childbirth.

But it can also be caused by traumatic injuries, prior pelvic surgeries, muscle strain, connective tissue disorders, aging, and chronic anxiety or stress.

RELATED: Physical Therapy For Seniors Health

Conditions That Can Mimic Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

The symptoms and causes of pelvic floor dysfunction can overlap with other conditions that impact the pelvic region.

Knowing about the most common conditions can help you ask the right questions and communicate effectively with your physical therapist.

1. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is classified as a neurogastrointestinal disorder.

This means it impacts the way your gut and brain interact during the digestive processes.

The causes of IBS are not fully understood.

But some of the triggers are thought to be things like:

• Gut bacteria imbalances
• Severe infections
• Food allergies or intolerances
• Extreme stress in childhood

There is also an association with chronic pain conditions including pelvic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia.

Symptoms of IBS may include:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Excess gas
• Bloating
• Abdominal pain
• Mucus in your stool
• Difficulty emptying your bowels

As you can see, some of these symptoms are similar to what you might feel with pelvic floor dysfunction.

The difference is that IBS doesn’t seem to cause urinary incontinence or painful urination.

It also has different causes.

IBS often presents in flares.

Certain foods, stress, and menstruation can aggravate it.

The good news is it doesn’t seem to cause tissue damage or increase the risk of colon cancer.

Most people get relief through a combination of minimizing trigger foods, taking medications, and physical or behavioral therapy.

A pelvic floor physical therapist can help you manage IBS symptoms through a combination of:

• Pelvic floor exercises
• Soft tissue therapy
• Breathing exercises (video explaining diaphragmatic breathing)
• Posture correction

2. Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when your pelvic floor becomes too weak to keep your vagina, uterus, bladder, and rectum in their places.

This causes one or more of these organs to shift, sag, or “drop.”

There are several different kinds of pelvic organ prolapse.

These are based on which organs are impacted and the severity of their displacement.

In general, you may feel a bulge, or experience fullness and pressure in your pubic area.

Changes in bathroom habits, a sensation of fullness, aching or pressure in your pelvis, and painful intercourse are also common.

Many of the possible causes of pelvic organ prolapse overlap with those of pelvic floor dysfunction, including:

• Childbirth and postpartum recovery, especially with complications
• Aging
• Family history
• Connective tissue disorders like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
• Long term pressure on the abdominal cavity

It may feel a little embarrassing, but you’re not alone.

Developing a holistic care plan that includes pelvic floor physical therapy can help.

3. Prostatitis

Prostatitis, simply put, is an inflammation of the prostate gland.

More than 2 million Americans each year deal with prostatitis.

Since the condition is often caused by bacteria, there are several potential risk factors and causes of infection.

These include:

• Use of a catheter
• Recent STIs or UTIs
• Having a structural abnormality or injury to the urinary tract

Prostatitis is divided into four types:

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the most common type.

It causes chronic pelvic pain, and is not caused by an infection.

Acute bacterial prostatitis is caused by a bacterial infection.

You may feel a fever or chills along with pain and difficulty urinating.

It’s generally treated with antibiotics

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is also caused by bacteria.

Symptoms are similar to acute bacterial prostatitis, except for the fever or chills.

But they tend to come on more slowly, and treatment takes longer.

Nonbacterial prostatitis causes your prostate to be inflamed, but doesn’t cause any symptoms.

The symptoms you experience can vary depending on the cause of your prostatitis, but they may include:

• Pain in the pelvis or pelvic floor
• Urinary urgency
• Blood in your urine or semen
• Painful intercourse
• Erectile dysfunction

Again, these are similar symptoms to pelvic floor dysfunction.

The main difference is that prostatitis doesn’t seem to cause urinary incontinence.

If you have prostatitis symptoms, seek treatment as soon as possible.

If left untreated, you’re at risk of developing sepsis.

This is a life threatening full body response to an infection.

Fortunately, there are a range of treatments available, including medications, pelvic floor physical therapy and soft tissue manipulation that can reduce your symptoms.

4. Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is also known as bladder pain syndrome.

It causes chronic bladder or abdominal pain as well as urinary frequency.

The cause is not yet fully understood.

Researchers think it may be related to autoimmune diseases, allergies, vascular disease, and abnormalities of the bladder lining.

Symptoms can vary from person to person and range from mild to severe.

You may feel pain or pressure in the bladder, discomfort as the bladder is filling, and urgency to pee but only releasing a small amount of urine at a time.

Like IBS, treatment for interstitial cystitis may take time and experimentation to find the best care strategies for you.

Medication and changes to lifestyle and dietary habits can help reduce inflammation and flare ups.

Pelvic floor physical therapy can help reduce muscle tension caused by the inflammation.

5. Other Possible Conditions

There are many other health conditions that can potentially mimic pelvic floor dysfunction and have overlapping symptoms.

These include:

• Endometriosis
• Ovarian cysts and fibroids
• Diverticulosis
• Hernias
• Muscular and skeletal conditions
• Levator-Ani syndrome

How Can Physical Therapy Help With Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

When it comes to pelvic floor dysfunction or similar conditions, the compassionate physical therapy team here at Capitol Physical Therapy can provide vital support to help improve your quality of life.

During your first visit, your physical therapist will do an evaluation to understand what’s causing your pelvic floor dysfunction.

From there they will put together a customized treatment plan to address your unique needs.

This may include things like exercises, stretches, and soft tissue manipulation to strengthen, relax, and release your muscles as needed.

Physical rehabilitation therapy can be a multi-faceted process with many areas to address.

RELATED ARTICLE: Frequently Asked Questions About Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

Book Your Appointment With Our Physical Therapy Clinic Today

If you’re experiencing pelvic discomfort, it’s important to know that pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t the only possible cause.

Several conditions can present with similar symptoms, and getting the right diagnosis is key to finding relief.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, our team specializes in pelvic health and can help you get to the root of your symptoms.

Book your appointment with Capitol Physical Therapy today and take the first step toward feeling like yourself again.