How Do You Know If You Have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
If you’re like most women, you probably don’t give much thought to your pelvic floor muscles until something goes wrong.
But did you know that one in four women experience some kind of pelvic floor dysfunction?
Pelvic floor muscles tend to weaken with age. In fact, studies show that 50% of women over age 60 have some type of pelvic floor problem.
What’s more, one in four women experiences some kind of pelvic floor dysfunction, according to the American Urogynecologic Society and International Urogynecological Association.
“We used to think that childbirth was the only cause,”
says Dr. Roger Goldberg, a urologist and medical director of the Pelvic and Sexual Health Institute in Los Angeles. ”
But we now know that pelvic floor problems can also result from aging, menopause, genetics, obesity, and even chronic constipation.”
If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor and find out if you have pelvic floor dysfunction:
- urinary incontinence,
- constipation,
- pain during sex,
- difficulty reaching orgasm,
- painful defecation,
- lower back pain, or
- urinary urgency.
Unfortunately, many doctors are not well informed about pelvic floor dysfunction and misdiagnose their patients. The truth is, many women suffer in silence because they don’t know what’s wrong with them.
To complicate matters, there is a lack of public awareness about pelvic floor dysfunction.
As a result, women are often misdiagnosed and mistreated.
But don’t worry; we’ve collected the facts about pelvic floor dysfunction—so you can be well informed and ensure that your doctor diagnoses and treats your symptoms accurately.
Pelvic floor dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when the muscles and ligaments that support your uterus, bladder, bowel, vagina, and rectum become weak, stretched, or torn. These muscles act like a hammock to keep your pelvic organs in place.
When these muscles are weakened or injured through childbirth (especially vaginal deliveries), obesity, forceps delivery, constipation, heavy lifting, and general wear-and-tear, they can no longer support your pelvic organs properly.
As a result, your pelvic organs may fall out of place and cause bladder leakage, pelvic pressure, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
Types of pelvic floor dysfunction
There are many types of pelvic floor dysfunction:
- Urinary incontinence (urine leakage),
- Bowel or rectal incontinence (fecal leakage),
- Pelvic organ prolapse (uterus, bladder, or rectum droop into or outside the vagina),
- Painful sex (dyspareunia).
Sometimes more than one type of pelvic floor problem occurs at the same time. For example, you may have urinary incontinence and painful sex. But don’t be alarmed; these are common problems that can usually be treated successfully.
Pelvic floor dysfunction can affect all women—even those who have never had a baby.
In fact, studies show that half of all women over age 60 suffer from some type of pelvic floor disorder.
Symptoms usually get worse with age and childbirth further increases your chances of developing a pelvic floor disorder. The good news is that most cases of pelvic floor dysfunction can be treated successfully.
Pelvic floor disorders in older women
As we age, our pelvic floor muscles weaken and stretch.
These changes may begin as early as the mid-30s and increase with each subsequent childbirth, says urogynecologist Dr. Diana Reed Slenker, director of the Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
If you give birth vaginally, your risk greatly increases; one study found that women who had four or more vaginal deliveries had a 33% chance of developing some symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction.
While symptoms usually go away in a few months after delivery or once you stop breastfeeding, for some women symptoms become long-term and never go away.
Symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse in older women may include
Feeling like something is falling out of your vagina (especially when you cough, sneeze, lift something heavy, or strain during a bowel movement)
- A feeling of pressure in your vagina or pelvis
- Having to urinate frequently
- Feeling like you have to go to the bathroom even when your bladder is empty
- Trouble emptying your bladder completely
- Discomfort during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)
- A bulging, heaviness, or pulling sensation in the vagina or pelvis.
Treatment for pelvic floor dysfunction
There are many treatment options available to manage pelvic floor dysfunction.
For urinary incontinence, treatments include bladder training, electrical stimulation of the muscles around your urethra (the opening through which urine exits your body), medications, and surgery.
For fecal incontinence, treatments include medication, dietary changes, exercises to strengthen the muscles around your anus (the opening through which bowel movements exit your body), or a procedure that creates a better connection between your rectum and anal muscles.
For pelvic organ prolapse, surgical techniques involve repairing damaged tissues. The goal of the surgery is to provide support for your pelvic floor muscles, ligaments, and other tissues so that you have better control over your bladder, uterus, vagina, or rectum.
