RX PT. Women's Health Matters

RX PT. Women's Health Matters

HEALTH+FITNESS NEWSLETTER

ALSO INS IDE Understanding Incontinence • Exercise Essentials • Patient Success Are You Suffering From Seasonal Affective Disorder? H E A L T H MATTERS! INCONTINENCE, CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN, & PHYSICAL THERAPY WOMEN’S

HEALTH+F I TNESS NEWS LE T T ER

A physical therapist is highly skilled in evaluating and treating various musculoskeletalandneurologicalconditionsaffectingthebody.Thisprofession focusesonassessinganyunderlying factors,suchasstrength,neuromuscular control, balance, coordination, skeletal alignment, and endurance, which may be contributing to impaired functional mobility, activity participation, and quality of life. Of course, most people only seek physical therapy when they’re suffering from a common injury or condition such as whiplash, tendonitis, low back pain, ligament sprains, and plantar fasciitis. Perhaps lesser known is that chronicpelvicpainanddysfunction, including incontinence,canalsorespond positively to physical therapy intervention. CAUSES OF INCONTINENCE AND CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN Ifyouhavepain inyourpelvis, itmaynotalwaysbe fullyclearwhat’scausing it. Some common causes of pelvic floor dysfunction and chronic pelvic pain include, but are not limited to: H E A L T H MATTERS! INCONTINENCE, CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN, & PHYSICAL THERAPY WOMEN’S

Anyoftheseconditionsmay leadto inadequatesupportoftheorganscontained withyourpelviccavity, increasedpressureor inflammationofnerves,muscles, andotherconnectivetissues(includingyourbladder),and impairedpelvicbone alignment. These symptoms can be frustrating, painful, and embarrassing, and may limit your tolerance to daily participation in desired activities, including exercise. Other symptoms frequently appear with pelvic pain, including incontinence, bloating,abdominalpressure,reluctance tostrainwhiledefecating,andpain in the low back, buttocks, and hips. You may also have decreased tolerance to a variety of activities including sitting or standing, walking, exercise, and sexual intercourse. HOW A PHYSICAL THERAPIST CAN TREAT PELVIC PAIN Every patient presenting with chronic pelvic pain is unique. If you come to see a physical therapist for your pelvic dysfunction, you’ll be taken through a thorough physical examination and patient history questionnaire. He or she will ask you specific questions about your pain, what makes it worse and better, and whether you have a history of any related issues. Based on the results of the examination, your physical therapist can then develop a customized treatment plan to relieve your symptoms and address the suspected underlying causes to prevent recurring dysfunction.

• Levator ani syndrome (increased tension in pelvic floor muscles) • Post-surgical complications (e.g., pain following a hysterectomy, hernia repair, cesarean section, and/or prostatectomy)

• Pregnancy • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction • Coccydynia • Irritation of the pudendal nerve (which originates near the bottom of your spine) • Irritable bowel syndrome

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Urinary incontinence has a reputation of being something only little old ladies have. But many young people get urinary incontinence. And while more women than men are affected, men can have urinary problems too, especially after prostate surgery. Fortunately, there are many treatments for urinary incontinence. Behavioral treatment. Some people with urinary incontinence may get relief by making simple lifestyle changes. If you have stress incontinence, for instance, inwhichyou leakurinewhenyou cough,sneeze,or laugh, your physical therapistmay tellyou to limithowmuchyoudrink. Ifyouhaveurge incontinence, in which you get the sudden urge to urinate and can’t always make it to thebathroom in time,yourphysical therapistmay tellyou toavoid spicy foods, caffeine, and carbonated drinks, because they can irritate the bladder and make the problem worse. Exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, known as Kegels, can sometimes help people with stress incontinence.Kegelscanalsohelppeoplewithurge incontinence.Sometimes, Kegels are combined with biofeedback techniques to help you know if you U N D E R S TA N D I N G I N C O N T I N E N C E

Y O UR P T C O U L D B E F R E E ! An insurance deductible is the amount of money that you pay before your insurancecompanypays formedicalservices. Ifyourdeductible ismet,your Physical Therapy may not cost you anything! Patients with family plans or those who have had major surgeries or have a chronic illness are especially likely to have a $0 balance remaining on their out-of-pocket expenses. This means that the cost of physical therapy could be minimal or completely covered by the patient’s insurance plan. If you are close to or have met your insurance deductible for the year, then now is the time to come in for Physical Therapy! Let us help you get a head start for 2020. Call us today at 269.769.6108 to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists. We’ll guide you to affordable treatments that will place you one step closer to pain relief. are doing the exercises properly. For urge incontinence, bladder training, sometimes called bladder retraining, can also help. This involves gradually increasing the interval time between trips to the bathroom, working up to longer and longer intervals between bathroom stops. Devices and absorbent products. Protective pads and panty liners can help avoid embarrassing situations. A pessary, a plastic device inserted into the vagina,mayhelppreventurine leakagebysupportingtheneckofthebladder; it is most useful for stress incontinence. Mild to moderate cases of common types of incontinence can be cured or greatly improved by behavioral or exercise therapy. We can also teach you habits and techniques to reduce urgency and urge incontinence (or leaking with a strong urge on the way to the bathroom). Even periodic incontinence is not something you have to deal with. We can help!

A R E Y O U S U F F E R I N G F R OM S E A S O N A L A F F E C T I V E D I S O R D E R ?

Has your mood darkened with the shorter days and longer nights of fall and winter? If you’re like many people, getting less sunshine and being less active this time of year can contribute to feelings of sadness and apathy that may be associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD). The good news is that regular exercise can help boost your mood and guard against symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. EXERCISE AND SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, 14 percent of people in the United States experience SAD (also known as seasonal depression). But research shows that many people can manageoravoidSADwith30 to60minutesofexerciseand20minutesofexposure tosunlighteachday. In addition,>Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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