If you have experienced pain, pressure, discomfort, or leaking “down there,” it may not be easy to talk about. More important, it’s not easy to live with. These symptoms may be the sign of a pelvic floor disorder, a common group of conditions that happen when the muscles, ligaments, and tissues holding the pelvic organs in place become weak and cannot properly hold up the pelvic organs.
Some factors—like aging, being overweight, childbirth, and a past hysterectomy—can increase the likelihood of a pelvic floor disorder such as prolapse, which is when an organ moves or drops from its normal position, or urinary incontinence, which is urine leakage. But these conditions should not be considered a natural part of aging, and there’s no need to suffer in silence.
The Latest Treatment Options
CentraState offers surgical and nonsurgical options that strengthen pelvic muscles, restore pelvic anatomy, and enhance quality of life. The Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery department focuses on the latest treatments for pelvic floor disorders. Treatment depends on the type of disorder and its cause, and may include medications, minimally invasive surgery, or other approaches. Many surgical procedures for pelvic floor disorders can be performed robotically and on an outpatient basis, enabling patients to return home the same day.
The Pelvic Floor Program at CentraState’s OceanFirst Rehabilitation Center offers specialized physical therapy for pelvic floor conditions. In this approach, a specially trained physical therapist teaches patients specific exercises that target and strengthen pelvic floor muscles to improve symptoms, often within a few visits. The program also helps women to regain pelvic muscle strength after childbirth, before an issue like urinary incontinence happens.
FREE UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Learn more about pelvic health at one of these free programs at the Star and Barry Tobias Health Awareness Center at CentraState:
GET THE LOW-DOWN ON “DOWN THERE”
Weds., Sept. 25, 6-7 p.m.
Join other women for wine, cheese, and intimate conversation on all things pelvic health in a comfortable setting where shared stories are welcome and no topic is taboo.
To register, visit centrastate.com/healthprograms or call 732.308.0570.
