Men have pelvises too! All kidding aside, men can experience many of the same troubling pelvic issues that concern women. An important consideration in men is the prostate, but often (over 95% of the time) the prostate is not to blame for pelvic floor pain and dysfunction.
What Role Does Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Play in Men’s Pelvic Health?
The majority of men’s pelvic floor pain and dysfunction comes from the musculoskeletal system primarily, the muscles, soft tissues and joints in the abdominal, pelvic and hip regions. Pelvic floor physical therapy has been proven to be extremely beneficial male pelvic pain and incontinence.
What Can I Expect at My Men’s Pelvic Health Appointment?
At Pelvic Wellness Center, we want to learn about your challenges and what is important to you and then we individualize your treatment to meet your needs. You can expect us to listen to your concerns and goals and evaluate you to find limitations, restrictions, weakness, pain to develop a program just for you. We are skilled manual therapists with over 20 years combined experience in physical therapy and pelvic health.
Treatments can include, but are not limited to: behavioral management instruction for improving bowel and bladder function, biofeedback, pain management, and therapeutic exercise.
Common Men’s Pelvic Health Conditions That We Treat
Non-bacterial Prostatitis
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), is characterized by pelvic or perineal pain lasting longer than 3 months, without evidence of urinary tract infection. Symptoms may wax and wane. Pain can range from mild discomfort to debilitating and may radiate to the back and rectum, making it difficult to sit. Dysuria (pain with urination), muscle pain, unexplained fatigue, abdominal pain, constant burning pain in the penis, and urinary frequency may be present as well.
Urinary / Fecal Incontinence
Defined as the involuntary loss of urine or feces. Incontinence often occurs after prostate surgery, and symptoms can usually improve significantly, or resolve, with pelvic floor physical therapy, pelvic floor exercise, and behavioral modification instruction. When the prostate has been ruled out as the source of the issue, pelvic floor physical therapy can help by assessing and retraining the pelvic floor muscles to improve strength, endurance and coordination.
Pelvic Pain
The pelvic floor and other muscles in the area of the hips, lower extremities, and low back can be involved with pelvic pain and can cause pain that occurs with sitting, urination, defecation, and may interfere with sexual function. Pelvic floor physical therapy is often beneficial with treatments such as manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, therapeutic exercise instruction, and behavioral modification instruction.