GYN.COM PRESENTS

LIFE LONG WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE

ERIK N. COHEN, M.D. AND ASSOCIATES

THE LAYPERSON'S GUIDE TO PELVIC FLOOR THERAPY

The pelvic floor muscle is like a hammock acting to support the organs of the pelvis, including the bladder. It stretches from your pubic bone to your spinal cord. When the pelvic floor muscle becomes weakened or damaged due to childbirth injury, surgery, medications, excess straining, or simply due to genetics, incontinence often occurs.

We will use an internal sensor to assess the strength and endurance of your pelvic floor muscle. You will  be asked to contract your muscle by squeezing around the sensor. You will utilize the same muscles that you use to stop your urine or stop from passing gas. Pretend like you are pulling the sensor up into your body, almost like sucking on a straw. DO NOT use your abdominal muscles! This actually makes your incontinence worse.

By entering this program you are asked to work with your clinician to improve the tone of your muscle. Just think of going to the gym and working out it is the same concept. We will put you on a regime for doing exercises at home as well. You will not improve by simply continuing in once a week. You must be committed to rehabilitating this muscle by following our instructions.

Another part of the therapy includes a period of time during which the sensor emits a slight impulse and makes the pelvic floor muscle contract on it's own. You do not have to work your muscle, just relax and tell your clinician when you feel a pulling or contraction of your muscle. If it helps to squeeze along with the contraction you may do so. This will increase your awareness of the correct muscle to use when doing your exercises. Remember to let the clinician increase the strength of the pulse high enough to where you are feeling a strong pulling, but not to a level of discomfort. This part of the therapy gives your muscle a good workout, and also will help reduce any urgency symptoms that you might have (feelings that you have to urinate but cannot make it to the toilet in time). It is very important that the probe emits enough energy to cause the contraction, not just a tingling sensation, however, we do not want the level so high that you cannot tolerate it.

After this portion of the therapy, the clinician may ask you to do a few more exercises to reassess your muscle. After your first session you may be a little sore due to the fact that you haven't used this muscle much and it is weak (again, think of the gym). Be sure to follow your exercise instructions, making sure you do not over do it.

You should see signs of improvement in about three weeks. If you have seen no change at this time your muscle may be too weak to rehabilitate and your clinician will discuss other options.

Copyright © 2001 Erik N. Cohen M.D. and Associates
Last modified: December 02, 2001