Do I need Physiotherapy?

Symptoms of sexual dysfunction

Do not suffer in silence, treatment is available to help with problems related to intercourse. Awareness needs to be created in order to educate and help empower women struggling with these issues

  • Is sex painful?
  • Do you often avoid sex due to discomfort or pain?
  • Do you experience discomfort after intercourse/penetration?
  • Is sex often unsatisfying?
  • Do experience pain or difficulty inserting a tampon?
  • Are you anxious at the thought of penetration/insertion?

Symptoms of Bladder or Bowel dysfunction

Bladder or bowel symptoms can often be embarrassing and awkward, but with the correct treatment these symptoms can be well managed

  • Do you urinate more than 6-8 times a day or get up more than once at night?
  • Does jumping, laughing, sneezing, coughing or running cause you to leak urine?
  • Do you need to wear a pad due to leaking urine?
  • Do you experience a big urgency to go urinate?
  • Do you struggle with initiating your urine stream?
  • Does your bladder sometimes empty itself spontaneously or before you reach the toilet?
  • Do you suffer from constipation or do you have to strain to empty your bowels?
  • Do you sometimes get a sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation?
  • Do you sometimes have bowel accidents/leaks?

Other pelvic symptoms or dysfunctions

  • Do you have pain, discomfort or weakness during or after pregnancy?
  • Did you have an episiotomy or tearing after vaginal delivery?
  • Do you experience vulva or vaginal pain/burning/aching/discomfort or dryness?
  • Do you have decreased or increased sensation?
  • Do you suffer from back, hip or pelvis pain?
  • Do you suffer from lower abdominal or pelvic floor pain?
  • Do you have pain in your tailbone when sitting?
  • Do you have a heavy or dragging feeling in your genital area?
  • Birth prep during pregnancy
  • Treatment for SPD(Symphysis pubis dysfunction) or lightning crotch and round ligament pain

What to expect with a pelvic floor physiotherapy appointment:

If you are coming in with pelvic floor related symptoms, I am going to be assessing your posture, breathing pattern and abdominal muscles. You will be provided with educational content/information in order for you to understand the area we are working on. During your initial assessment there is likely to be an internal vaginal examination in order to properly assess your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor examination can be daunting to many women, but it is always done gently, to the pace desired by the patient and with explanation along the way.

The internal/pelvic floor examination is performed with you lying on your back with your knees bent and legs relaxed. I place one lubricated gloved finger inside your vagina – i don’t use a speculum like they do for a pap smear. This is similar to the assessment that your doctor or midwife would have done to check how dilated you were during labour. It is NOT necessary for you to have been pregnant or to be sexually active in order to come for a pelvic floor assessment, the assessment is gentle and I only do as much as you are up for and can handle!