Treatment for all your Pelvic Health needs
Bladder Control
Bladder control issues are common in people of all ages, but are not normal. These can include symptoms such as:
Leaking with coughing, sneezing, exercise (stress incontinence)
Sudden urgent sensation to empty your bladder, and maybe leaking on the way (overactive bladder)
Difficulty emptying your bladder, including straining to empty or feeling still full when you have finished
Recurrent bladder infections
Bladder pain (with filling, emptying, after emptying or more constant symptoms)
Leaking during sex
Physio treatment is recommended as first line therapy for all of these issues with 80% of women becoming completely dry or significantly reducing their symptoms. Overactive bladder (also called urge incontinence) affects up to 30 percent of males, preventing them from controlling when and how much they urinate.
Bowel Control & Constipation
Bowel changes are common but are not normal. Any sudden changes in bowel habits should be discussed with your GP for investigation. More common concerns for all genders include symptoms such as:
Leaking with coughing, sneezing, exercise (stress faecal incontinence)
Sudden urgent sensation to empty your bowel, and maybe leaking on the way (urgency and urge incontinence)
Difficulty emptying your bowel
Rectal pain (with filling, emptying, after emptying or more constant symptoms)
Changes in bowel habits between hard and loose bowel motions
Constipation
Many bowel symptoms can contribute to other pelvic dysfunction including pelvic pain and incontinence. Physio treatment can help with all of these symptoms to improve your quality of life.
Pregnancy
Congratulations on your pregnancy! During this time there are so many reasons to stay active, optimising your own and your baby’s health. It can be challenging to stay active if you have low energy, pain or are unsure what is safe.
Physio can help you stay active during your pregnancy, advise on exercise modifications for you goals and needs, address pelvic or other areas of pain.
It is recommended to start pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy which reduces urinary incontinence by 50% during pregnancy and beyond. To check your pelvic floor and address any other concerns contact us.
Post-natal
After pregnancy and birth your recovery is important for your own and your baby's health. International guidelines recommend all women have a post-natal pelvic floor check to address any specific issues, or if you have no symptoms (yay!) then to ensure you can maintain good function over your lifeline.
Exercise is a great way to improve mood and mental health at any stage of life, but especially in the post-partum stage. Physio assessment and treatment includes a return to exercise plan and progressions for all levels of activity. This way you can be confident you are helping your body to recover in the best way possible and return to the exercise that you love.
Abdominal Separation
Abdominal separation is a normal process of pregnancy and the degree of separation is mostly based on your genetics. However during your pregnancy moving well to reduce additional strain on your abdomen as it changes with your growing baby can assist with managing separation. After having your baby allowing time for your body to reverse these changes then beginning exercise at the right level encourages reduction of separation and improved overall abdominal function.
Large diastasis and reduced abdominal function can contribute to symptoms such as:
Pelvic, lower back and upper back pain
Groin pain
Postural changes
Altered respiratory pattern
Change in bladder and bowel habits
Reduced body confidence impacting mood and mental health
Physio assessment during pregnancy and after having your baby will develop an individualised program for your symptoms, goals and lifestyle.
Mastitis & Blocked Ducts
Breastfeeding is not a smooth journey for many parents. Blocked ducts and mastitis can be a barrier to continuing your feeding journey due to the pain and disruption in feeding they can have. This can be caused by a bacterial infection (common if you have cracked nipples) or oversupply with common symptoms including:
Breast pain
Redness and lumps in the breast (locally or throughout the whole breast)
Fever, high temperature, low energy (feeling “like the flu”)
Fatigue
Reduced milk supply
Therapeutic ultrasound for mastitis and blocked ducts is fantastic at providing immediate relief for pain, swelling and lumps - most people find their symptoms are resolved in 1-2 30min sessions. If you have symptoms we will endeavor to book you in asap so call us if you are unable to find an appointment in the next 1-2 days and we will find a spot for you.
We also provide education on prevention of recurrence of blocked ducts and mastitis including: nutrition & fluid advice, feeding positions and advice on reducing symptoms. We collaborate with your midwife, lactation consultant and GP for management as needed.
Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain impacts up to 20% of women and 10% of men during their lifetime. This has a huge impact on all aspects of your life and has a wide range of symptoms including:
Pain with sex (dyspareunia)
Bladder, urethral and rectal pain
Genital pain (internal &/or external)
Pelvic pain impacting your daily life, activities, sport and exercise
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Pain referring to your abdomen, groin, buttocks or legs
Female specific:
Vulval pain (vulvodynia)
Endometriosis
Period pain (dysmenorrhea)
Difficulty with internal examinations/smear tests/speculum
We can help you with these symptoms, no matter how long you have been living with them. If you want to know more about how we can help, please get in touch.
Sexual Dysfunction & Pain
Many people experience pain with sex - but not many talk about it! It can be a difficult things to talk about, but improving your sex life can help with mood, intimacy, confidence… and, of course, enjoyment!
The main symptoms people describe are:
Female specific:
Pain at the entrance with penetration
Deep pain with penetration
Dryness/raw sensation in the vagina
Reduced sensation
Reduced strength of orgasm or inability to orgasm
Pain or hypersensivity with external touching
Male specific:
Erectile dysfunction, painful ejaculation, change in orgasm sensation
We currently do not provide support for men with sexual symptoms at Elevate Physio, contact Sharon at www.restorephysio.co.nz
Common Physio treatment include pelvic floor muscle relaxation or strengthening, improving vaginal tissue health, integration of care with GP’s, Psychologists and Sex Therapists. We listen to your concerns and develop a treatment plan for your specific goals that fits into your life.
Scar Release
Scars normally heal really well to provide supportive and flexible tissue after surgery or injury. If this doesn’t happen scars can be thicker and resist normal movement creating symptoms such as":
Pain on touch
Pain with movement or stretch
Pain with sex
Hypersensitivity to touch e.g. wearing pants over c-section scar
Changes to bladder or bowel function such as pain with filling or emptying, digestion or sensitivity to foods
Reduced range of movement
Scar mobilisation can begin from 12 weeks after a surgery or injury to improve scar mobility. But, good news, no scar is too old to work on! So any scars that may be contributing to dysfunction can be improved.
Pre- and Post-Operative Care
Physiotherapy before and after surgery helps to optimise your recovery, improve surgical outcomes and reduced timeframes for return to sport and exercise.
This includes pelvic floor muscle exercises, addressing any contributing factors to your symptoms, preventing recurrence of symptoms and return to exercise plan. Surgeries Pelvic Health Physiotherapy can assist your recovery with:
Pre/post prostatectomy
Hysterectomy
Haemorrhoid banding
Prolapse repair
Incontinence surgeries
Caesarean sections
This includes pelvic floor muscle exercises, addressing any contributing factors to your symptoms, preventing recurrence of symptoms, scar release and return to exercise plan.
High Performance Sport
20-80% of women (who haven’t been pregnant or had a baby) experience incontinence during sport and exercise. These symptoms can be embarrassing and are often not spoken about but can have a huge impact on participation in sport and exercise due to:
Reduced confidence
Reduced effort with training to reduce symptoms
Avoidance and withdrawal from sport
Pushing through symptoms → worsen symptoms long term
Overload of other structures → hip pain, back pain, abdominal pain, altered movement patterns, reduced range of movement
These symptoms can also happen in women who have had a baby and post-natally impact return to sport. This often is linked with reduced fitness, withdrawal from the activity and then missing out on the social supports, which are a key part of sport and exercise.
Exercise has so many physical and mental benefits - don’t let leaking stop you from doing the things you love!
Menopause
During any life transition, change can be scary and uncomfortable. When it comes to menopause and perimenopause, talking about it isn’t always easy. But it is important to understand what’s happening in your body and treat yourself with self-compassion. Many women develop new onset of pelvic symptoms during perimenopause or menopause which can seem to arrive suddenly!
Prolapse
Bladder control changes or incontinence
Bowel control changes or incontinence
Reduced libido
Pelvic pain
Painful sex
The hormonal changes associated with menopause are often related to these changes, but Physio can help reduce or resolve these symptoms, in collaboration with your GP and other practioners.