How Physical Therapy Can Help with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Those suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can experience debilitating pain as well as physical and emotional stress. In this article, we’ll cover what IBD is, specific symptoms and how physical therapy (PT) can help.

What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Mayo Clinic describes IBD as “an umbrella term used to describe disorders that involve chronic inflammation of your digestive tract.” This includes Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease.

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease of the large intestine in which the innermost lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores or ulcers.

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Aging and the Pelvic Floor: How Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation Can Help

Getting older comes with many bodily changes. Your hormones begin to fluctuate, your muscles begin to change, and the pathways in your brain no longer regenerate at the same speed they once did. 

Your pelvic floor will also respond to these changes in your body as you age. However, if you choose to seek out pelvic floor rehabilitation, you may not have to endure the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help limit or in some cases completely resolve symptoms ensuring you can get back to the everyday activities you love. 

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Men Can Benefit from Pelvic Floor PT, Too

More often than not, you hear about women needing to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles to live a happier life. Men, however, face many of the same symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction that women do. Even so, can men benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy?

What is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor, in men and in women, looks similar to a hammock. It stretches from the tailbone to the hips in both genders and supports the bladder,

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How Can Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Help with Bladder Control? 

Pregnancy changes a woman’s body in many ways she can’t anticipate. The release of pregnancy hormones can make it even more difficult for women to exert bowel and bladder control leading to urinary or other types of incontinence. 

To avoid this urinary “inconvenience”, doctors may prescribe pelvic floor physical therapy. This practice is designed to help women strengthen the pelvic floor either during or after pregnancy. That said, women who are not pregnant but who experience even occasional leaks or have difficulty holding back gas also find pelvic floor therapy helpful. 

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What Happens to Your Pelvic Floor During Pregnancy? 

Pregnancy and childbirth place serious demands on the pelvic region. Even the most thorough health care program may not be able to inform you of all of the changes your body may undergo both during your pregnancy and after giving birth. 

While you’ll be able to see the changes to your stomach and ab muscles as you gain weight, you can’t always tell what’s going on with your pelvic floor, or the group of muscles that cradle your pelvic organs.

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Praise for Provenance

“I have been married for three years and not been able to successfully have sexual intercourse with my husband. It caused way too much pain and discomfort every time we tried. I began wondering what is wrong with me and how such a natural process seemed so impossible for us. Due to the embarrassment of my situation, I had not shared my predicament with anyone for two years. I finally opened up to my primary care physician and she told me to “Just relax and have some wine.”

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Tailbone Pain Explained

Tailbone pain, sometimes called Coccydynia, is pain at the coccyx. The coccyx is a small triangle shaped bone at the end of the spine that serves as an attachment site for several muscles, ligaments and tendons. Typically, someone experiencing Coccydynia will complain of pain when sitting or standing for long periods, rising to stand or leaning back while seated.

Addressing Stress Urinary Incontinence