Physiotherapy Treatment for Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain, which can affect both men and women, often stems from issues related to the pelvic floor muscles, ligaments, or connective tissue. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and tissues that support the organs in the pelvis, such as the bladder, uterus (in women), rectum, and prostate (in men).

Pelvic pain can be caused by a wide variety of musculoskeletal, behavioural or medical triggers. Treatment options for pelvic pain will vary depending on the underlying cause, however some common and effective methods include:

Education

Understanding pelvic pain will begin with education. Our bodies have complex pain mechanisms, and each person will present with different ‘triggers’ for their pain experience. Having a good understanding of the source of your pain experience will help to manage symptoms.

Lifestyle Modifications

Bladder training: For those with pain related to bladder dysfunction (e.g., interstitial cystitis), bladder retraining can reduce urgency and frequency. This involves gradually increasing the time between urinations and calming urge severity.

Pelvic Floor Exercises (Kegels)

Pelvic floor exercise prescription should be a personalised treatment plan. A good quality, well-functioning pelvic floor will contract, release and coordinate in response to our needs through the day. Your pelvic floor exercise prescription may be a combination of strengthening, and lengthening exercises to help your pelvic pain experience

Dilator Therapy

Dilators are a tool used to manage pelvic pain. They are used internally to help the pelvic floor muscles to relax in response to stretch or movement. Your women’s health physio will coach you through their use.

Heat Therapy

Heat packs can be applied to the lower abdomen or pelvic area to relax tight muscles and soothe pain.

Dry Needling

Dry Needling may help some individuals with pelvic pain by stimulating specific points on the body to calm tight muscles, release endorphins and calm the nervous system.

Stretching

Stretching is a great way to relax tight muscles, and calm our nervous system. Your women’s health physio can show you specific stretches which will target your key areas of tension.

Breathwork

Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness may help reduce stress and muscle tension, which can contribute to pelvic pain. Breathwork can also help to calm our nervous system.

Key Considerations:

It’s important to address the underlying cause of pelvic pain, which could be due to conditions like pelvic floor dysfunction, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, prostatitis, or nerve-related issues.
Multidisciplinary care may be necessary for effective treatment, as pelvic pain can involve multiple factors (musculoskeletal, psychological, and visceral). Each person’s experience with pelvic pain is unique, so it’s important to work closely with your healthcare team to find the most effective combination of treatments for your treatment plan.
If you are dealing with pelvic pain, our Pelvic Health Physiotherapy team is here to help. Consult with us today to learn how physiotherapy can make a difference in your pain management and overall well-being.

Thursday, February 6th

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Our physios have been getting Penrith moving since 1989. No referral needed for private patients.

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