Can Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles Cause Incontinence

Faecal incontinence inability to control bowel movements.

Can weak pelvic floor muscles cause incontinence.

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that forms a supportive sling in the lower pelvis. They may particularly benefit pregnant women because the pelvic floor muscles can stretch and weaken during labor. If there is a problem with bladder or bowel control it is important to be properly assessed as weak pelvic floor muscles are just one of the many causes of incontinence. Weak vaginal muscles and incontinence affects more than 40 per cent of australian women.

However with the correct methods pelvic floor muscles can be treated. If you re taking certain medications for interstitial cystitis including antidepressants these might cause constipation. So having one of these conditions increases your risk of having the other. But let s face it pelvic floor exercises are pretty boring and can easily slip out of our daily routine.

Weak pelvic floor muscles can also cause urge incontinence. Pain from the bladder can cause pain in the pelvic floor muscles and then loss of muscle relaxation and strength which is pelvic floor dysfunction. Strengthening these muscles may help prevent incontinence after the baby is born. While exact causes are still being researched doctors can link pelvic floor dysfunction to conditions or events that weaken the pelvic muscles or tear connective tissue.

This is when you have that urgent need to go to the toilet but suddenly feels your urine leaking. Treatments are generally very effective. Pelvic health or pelvic floor pts are ideal providers to teach women and men how to gain control over their bladder symptoms. However recently my mind was blown when a women s health physiotherapist mentioned that actually stress incontinence can be caused by a pelvic floor that s too tight not just one that s too weak.

Most of the time it s caused by the muscles of the bladder becoming over or under active. The three most common issues that occur as a result of a weak pelvic floor are. Pelvic floor muscles that are weak tight or not working in a coordinated fashion can cause urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence inability to control urine flow.

Weak pelvic floor muscles can be a cause for many unpleasant side effects such as incontinence and severe pain in the pelvic area. You can search for a list of women s men s and pelvic health physiotherapists on the australian physiotherapy association website and on our service directory. What are pelvic floor muscles. You feel a bulge in your vagina.