Two great videos to watch on normal bladder function and why water is good for our bodies!
https://www.facebook.com/TEDEducation/videos/1315135368499666/
https://www.facebook.com/TEDEducation/videos/1299628043383732
For more information call us at His Therapy 864-534-1780.
Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when a pelvic organ-such as your bladder-drops (prolapses) from its normal place in your lower belly and pushes against the walls of your vagina. This can happen when the muscles that hold your pelvic organs in place get weak or stretched from childbirth or surgery.
It can be very common and debilitating for women. Are you at risk? If so please consult with your OB-GYN today and discuss treatment options!
www.histherapy.net
864-534-1780
The pelvic floor muscles are such an important part of our body for both men and women! Don’t forget about them!
If you don’t know much about them feel free to look us www.histherapy.net or give us a call to learn more 864-534-1780!
We would love to help you discover the world of pelvic floor wellness!
Having strong pelvic floor muscles gives us control over the bladder and bowel. Weakened pelvic floor muscles mean the internal organs are not fully supported and you may have difficulty controlling the release of urine, feces (poo) or flatus (wind).
Common causes of a weakened pelvic floor include childbirth, obesity and the associated straining of chronic constipation. Pelvic floor exercises are designed to improve muscle tone and prevent the need for corrective surgery.
What are pelvic floor muscles?
Pelvic floor muscles are the layer of muscles that support the pelvic organs and span the bottom of the pelvis. The pelvic organs are the bladder and bowel in men, and bladder, bowel and uterus in women. The diagram below shows the pelvic organs and pelvic floor muscles in women (right) and men (left).
The pelvic floor muscles stretch like a muscular trampoline from the tailbone (coccyx) to the pubic bone (front to back) and from one sitting bone to the other sitting bone (side to side). These muscles are normally firm and thick.
Imagine the pelvic floor muscles as a round mini-trampoline made of firm muscle. Just like a trampoline, the pelvic floor is able to move down and up. The bladder, uterus (for women) and bowel lie on the pelvic floor muscle layer.
The pelvic floor muscle layer has hole for passages to pass through.There are two passages in men (the urethra and anus) and three passages in women (the urethra, vagina and anus). The pelvic floor muscles normally wrap quite firmly around these holes to help keep the passages shut. There is also an extra circular muscle around the anus (the anal sphincter) and around the urethra (the urethral sphincter).
Although the pelvic floor is hidden from view, it can be consciously controlled and therefore trained, much like our arm, leg or abdominal muscles.
What do pelvic floor muscles do?
Pelvic floor muscles provide support to the organs that lie on it. The sphincters give us conscious control over the bladder and bowel so that we can control the release of urine, feces (poo) and flatus (wind) and allow us to delay emptying until it is convenient. When the pelvic floor muscles are contracted, the internal organs are lifted and the sphincters tighten the openings of the vagina, anus and urethra. Relaxing the pelvic floor allows passage of urine and feces.
Pelvic floor muscles are also important for sexual function in both men and women. In men, it is important for erectile function and ejaculation. In women, voluntary contractions (squeezing) of the pelvic floor contribute to sexual sensation and arousal.
The pelvic floor muscles in women also provide support for the baby during pregnancy and assist in the birthing process.
The muscles of the pelvic floor work with the abdominal and back muscles to stabilize and support the spine.
What can make these muscles loose?
Pregnancy and childbirth for women
Straining on the toilet
Chronic coughing
Heavy lifting
High impact exercise
Age
Obesity
Please call us at His Therapy to get more information and schedule your first session! It is an important part of your body that you need to learn how to control and work! We look forward to being able to serve you this coming new year! 864-534-1780
Summer is right around the corner, which means longer days, sleep overs, and summer camps! Is your child ready or is bed wetting restricting them from these experiences? Often times bed wetting can be significantly reduced with pelvic floor training along with dietary and behavior counseling. With only a few visits, your child can learn to have more control of their bladder and you both can get a more restful night’s rest. Call us today for an appointment!
Suffering from constipation?
There are many causes including posture and pelvic floor dysfunction. Within a couple of treatments with our pelvic floor specialist, you can learn proper posture and how to relax your pelvic floor to have healthy bowel movements without straining. We also focuses on diet and brings awareness to certain foods that cause constipation and bladder irritation. Call us today for more information!
Have you ever wondered if pelvic floor therapy is for you? Here are a couple questions you can ask yourself to determine whether you could benefit from seeing our specialist.
1) Do you leak urine when you cough or sneeze?
2) Do you strain with bowel movements and often find yourself constipated?
3) Do you wake up during the night to use the bathroom?
4) Do you have pain during sexual intercourse?
If you answered “yes” to any of these, pelvic floor therapy IS for you! With as little as 2-3 sessions, you will see improvements in your pelvic floor which will improve your confidence and help you live the happy and healthy life we all desire!
Call today for more information: 864-534-1780
www.histherapy.net
Diastasis Recti refers to the unnatural separation of the abdominal muscles via stretching or thinning of the connective tissue in the midline (Linea Alba). While this is very normal to occur during pregnancy to allow for a growing baby (100% of women will have some separation at 37 weeks gestation), it is when the muscles remain apart after baby is born that this can become a concern. A distance of 1-1.5 finger widths between the muscle bellies is considered “normal” and greater than this would be considered a diastasis, however the prognosis of healing will be affected not just by the distance of separation, but also the amount of tension remaining in the linea alba.
*Just to be clear, even though DR is often referred to as a ‘separation’, this does not mean that there is an opening in the abdominal wall, rather that the muscle bellies are sitting a bit further apart. There is still intact connective tissue between the muscles, however it may be thinner than before – unlike an hernia which refers to an actual tear or hole in the connective tissue.*
The most common symptoms of Diastasis Recti are the appearance of a belly bulge, a feeling of core ‘weakness’, and compromised function of the deep core and pelvic floor muscles (which stabilize the pelvis and the spine) leading to hip, pelvic, and back pain or pelvic floor issues.
However, Diastasis Recti is not always visible or symptomatic. For example, I have known some women with 4cm separations postpartum to have a ‘flat’ stomach (as defined by societal expectations), be pain-free and still be able to perform very physically strong feats. Therefore, I don’t believe the end goal of healing is just about the width of separation, but how all of the muscles in the body function as a whole.
Some causes of this can be:
Over-corrected sitting and standing posture – a habit of thrusting the ribs with chest out, shoulders back. Although we are often taught is a good posture – this actually creates excessive tension on the linea alba – pulling it apart – AND generates more IAP!
Very tight abdominal musculature – which can increase IAP and also pull away (think tight oblique muscles pulling on a diagonal away from the midline)
Shortened psoas major – this will often appear as rib thrusting when lying down on your back with the legs out straight (this was the most noticeable factor amongst the three aforementioned men with DR) and means that even just lying flat on your back, doing nothing(!) can actually contribute to a diastasis
Do your ribs do this when you lie down?
Tight shoulders and chest muscles which will lift the ribcage and create a lateral pull on the LA every time you reach overhead
Constantly increased intra-abdominal due to chronic digestive upsets and bloating
Repetitive increased intra-abdominal pressure via habitual movement and exercises (think repetitive sit ups, straining on the toilet, breath holding, or ALWAYS sucking in your stomach)
For more information please contact us today at 864-534-1780 or sabina@histherapy.net
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MAY 4th at 6pm
RSVP call us at 864-534-1780!
What is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control that causes urine leakage before you can reach a restroom. If you suffer from UI, you are not alone. Almost 25 million people suffer from UI and 75%-80% of those people are women. While millions of people have UI, there are many different seventies ranging from little leakage when you cough or sneeze to having strong, sudden urges.
What Causes Urinary Incontinence?
There can be many causes for urinary incontinence, for example, obesity, pregnancy, bladder infection, weak pelvic floor muscles, constipation, medications, stress, smoking, caffeine intake, and hormonal changes associated with menopause. Some of these causes are easier to eliminate, while others are more involuntary and must be treated.
Do I have to Live with Urinary Incontinence?
There are many ways to treat urinary incontinence, but treatments usually depends on the state of the patient and type of incontinence. Often there are combinations of treatments used to treat UI in order to see the greatest improvement. Some of these treatments include strengthening your pelvic floor muscles with Kegel exercises, biofeedback, and bladder retraining.