Pelvic floor problems can be a source of a lot of stress. Difficulty holding in urine, the feeling that ‘something is oozing out’, loss of urine resulting in a bad odor, these are legitimate reasons to feel uncomfortable. These problems are often related to a weak pelvic floor. Therapy, medication and other aids can offer a solution. It is always advisable to consult your doctor.
Pelvic floor problems
- The pelvic floor
- A pelvic floor that is too weak
- Prolapse or prolapsus
- Urinary leakage or urinary incontinence
- Fecal incontinence
- Treatment of a weak pelvic floor
- Train your pelvic floor yourself
The pelvic floor
The pelvic floor is located at the bottom of the pelvis, in a place where many organs come together. The pelvic floor contains the bladder , the urethra , the vagina (vagina) as well as the end of the large intestine or rectum . These organs stay well in place because they are attached to the pelvic floor with ligaments. When you cough or start laughing you will notice an increase in pressure as the ligaments start to move. The straps also ensure that you can hold your urine if desired. When you relax the muscles in the pelvic floor it allows you to urinate, defecate or have intercourse. You can imagine that if there is too much or too little tension on the ligaments of the pelvic floor, various problems can arise with the retention of stool and urine.
A pelvic floor that is too weak
A weakened pelvic floor can cause various complaints. A frequently mentioned complaint is incontinence. When the bladder and urethra do not function properly, unwanted urine can escape. It may also happen that you have the urge to urinate very often without this being really necessary. It can also lead to a bladder infection. Because the bladder cannot close properly, the bacteria that cause bladder infections can more easily settle in the bladder.
Lack of proper control of the rectum often makes it difficult to have regular bowel movements. This then results in constipation or constipation. On the other hand, it can be difficult to retain stool and a form of fecal incontinence develops. Pain in the lower abdomen, pain in the groin area, abdominal pain that radiates to the back and fatigue are all associated with this. Patients also often report complaints related to the community.
The most common complaints due to a weak pelvic floor are the following:
- Prolapse or prolapsus
- Stress incontinence or stress incontinence
- Urge incontinence
- Fecal incontinence
- Community problems
Prolapse or prolapsus
If you suffer from pelvic floor prolapse, organs such as the bladder, the end of the large intestine or the uterus can come out. If the bladder prolapses, it will be visible as a round ball at the front of the vagina. With a prolapse of the rectum, a round ball is visible at the anus. When the uterus has prolapsed, this is also noticeable in the vagina. It is quite possible that several organs have prolapsed at the same time.
A prolapse causes a feeling of pressure on the vagina. You may feel like something needs to come out, as if some kind of ball is pressing on you. This can cause a constant nagging or pressing pain that radiates to the back or anus. A small prolapse causes an urge to urinate, while a large prolapse makes urination difficult. Such prolapse is often a source of fatigue. Effort can cause additional pain. For example, you will notice that your complaints increase after cycling or sitting in an unnatural position, while they decrease again once the effort is over.
Urinary leakage or urinary incontinence
Urinary leakage is a common problem. Some women suffer from it every day, while for others it comes in fits and starts. It is a complaint that often occurs after giving birth to a child, but is also one of the things that comes with growing older.
Stress incontinence
A form of incontinence that occurs while exercising or lifting heavy objects. So incontinence occurs when there is a lot of tension on the pelvic floor because you tighten your abdominal muscles. It can also happen with simple things such as sneezing, laughing, coughing or being scared. You lose urine without feeling the urge to go to the toilet.
Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence is a form of incontinence in which you often feel like you have to go to the toilet. Sometimes this feeling comes on so suddenly that you are late to the toilet and have urine loss before you even get to the door. This can also happen while sleeping without you noticing it. Unknowingly, just hearing running water can cause urine loss. This may be due to a weak pelvic floor, but it may also be the result of a disorder in the control of the bladder or the nerves of the bladder. This form of incontinence can also coexist with stress incontinence. Because treatment always focuses on one form, it is important to know what the biggest culprit is.
Fecal incontinence
Anyone who suffers from fecal incontinence passes stool without really feeling the urge to do so. The result is that people are often late to the toilet and flatulence is also one of the consequences. This form of incontinence is often the result of damage to the sphincter muscle. It can also arise as a result of a weak pelvic floor or complications of childbirth.
Treatment of a weak pelvic floor
You can train muscles, including the muscles of your pelvic floor. Much can be achieved with the help of physiotherapy . Physiotherapy is a therapy that helps you gain better control over your pelvis and is also used for women whose muscles are too tight.
There are also medications that can provide a solution. Unfortunately, these often have unpleasant side effects, but a doctor can give accurate advice about this.
Other aids that can offer a solution are a ring or diaphragm . By placing it, stress incontinence can be prevented. However, it depends on the specific prolapse whether this can be a good treatment. Women who only suffer from urine leakage during exercise can prevent this by inserting a tampon . The doctor may be able to recommend other methods to combat specific forms of urine loss.
Train your pelvic floor yourself
Before you go to a pelvic floor therapist, would you like to start training your pelvic floor yourself? There are various products on the market that can help with this. For example, there is the Hydras pelvic floor trainer to train pelvic and pelvic floor muscles. You can also opt for training based on EMS stimulation or Aquaflex pelvic floor training. The pelvic floor muscles are tensed and relaxed again by means of a probe that emits vibrations. It requires no further effort on your part and has been proven effective in combating unwanted urine loss in women.
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