All about Women’s Pelvic Floor Health

A woman’s pelvic floor is a very critical part of her body. This is because the pelvic floor is the base for the different muscles that control bowel movements and urination. Moreover, the pelvic floor is also important during pregnancy. It has to be strong enough to support the weight of the baby as well as help expel the baby during a normal delivery.

Because of its importance, the pelvic floor must remain a priority for women’s health. This is a must because the pelvic floor is prone to various disorders that can severely affect its function. The incidence of pelvic floor damage to women increases during pregnancy wherein some muscles may be stretched too much. As a result, some women need to undergo surgery to repair their damaged pelvic floor muscles due to pregnancy.

Disorders of the Pelvic Floor

All disorders in the pelvic floor are types of hernia. This means that certain organs protrude because of the inability of surrounding tissues to provide support due to their weakness. A consistent characteristic of all pelvic floor disorders is a feeling of heaviness and pressure as if a certain organ is falling out.

The following are the common disorders of the pelvic floor:

a) Rectocele. This happens when the rectum falls out and presses against the back wall of the vagina. It is the result of the weakening of the muscular wall of the rectum and the connective tissues around it.

b) Enterocele. This kind of disorder happens when part of the small intestine and the lining of the abdominal cavity bulge downward between the vagina and the rectum.

c) Prolapse of the uterus. When a woman suffers from a prolapse of the uterus, it means that the uterus drops down into the vagina. It is usually the result of the weakening of the connective tissues and ligaments that support the uterus. This condition can cause pain in the lower back, although there is no pain in majority of the cases.

Treatment for Pelvic Floor Disorders

The easiest and safest way to remedy disorders in the pelvic floor is through exercises. The following are the common exercises used to treat pelvic floor ailments:

a) Practice deep breathing accompanied by a feeling of allowing the pelvic floor muscles drop away from the body as if released. This will allow a woman to strengthen her pelvic floor especially when she is stressed or under pressure.

b) Lay on your back on the bed with the bottoms of the feet together and the knees to the side. This kind of exercise will relax the groin and pelvic muscles together. Do this exercise for at least five minutes. One may place a pillow under each knee.

c) Lay on your back on the bed and attempt to draw the lower belly muscles in and then slowly release the draw. This kind of exercise is intended to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles by allowing it to become used to being drawn in.

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