Pelvic floor issues

| What are pelvic floor dysfunction-related diseases?

The female pelvic floor supports the pelvic organs, including the familiar uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, rectum, and urethra. If there is a problem with the supporting function of the pelvic floor, it will affect the various functions of the pelvic organs. In medical terms, it is called pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD).

| What exactly does the pelvic floor consist of?

It is a whole composed of muscles, connective tissues and nerves. It is like a net, and also like a hammock, which effectively supports the pelvic organs. If the hammock is strong and elastic, the things on the bed can be placed on it steadily. If the hammock is not strong and elastic, the things on the bed will fall down.

| What are the specific manifestations of pelvic floor dysfunction?

For example, urinary incontinence: unable to hold urine, having to find a toilet wherever you go, sometimes even squeezing out some urine when coughing or running. In severe cases, women even have to wear wet diapers, which greatly affects their lives and social activities.

For example, sexual intercourse disorders: In one case, the vaginal wall becomes loose, so the couple cannot have satisfactory intercourse and may even have embarrassing gas sounds. In another case, the opposite is true: the vaginal muscles are too tense, causing vaginal spasm, which can cause intercourse pain, affect the couple's intercourse, and even lead to sexual indifference.

For example, uterine prolapse, anterior and posterior vaginal wall prolapse, bladder urethra and rectal prolapse: some people always feel that the organs in the abdominal cavity are falling down, or some people can feel something falling out of the vaginal opening when cleaning the vulva. In severe cases, the entire uterus may fall from its original position.

For example, chronic pelvic pain: some people always have unexplained chronic pain in the lower back, perineum, coccyx, etc.

| What causes pelvic floor dysfunction?

The biggest reason is pregnancy and childbirth. After pregnancy, the enlarged uterus continues to compress the pelvic floor, which will cause damage to the pelvic floor muscles and nerves over time. Increased abdominal pressure during childbirth and pressure from the fetus will also cause muscle fibers to stretch extremely or even break, damaging the pelvic floor muscle nerves. If these injuries cannot be restored in time, the various physiological functions of the body will decline with age, and corresponding complications will occur, resulting in pelvic floor dysfunction.

In addition, obesity, habitual coughing, constipation, and weight-bearing and fatigue during the confinement period are all risk factors for pelvic floor dysfunction.

| What does a pelvic floor examination include, and is it painful?

Many female friends are afraid to go to the hospital for examinations and are afraid of pain. So will the pelvic floor muscle examination and assessment be painful? The answer is of course not. It is basically a normal gynecological examination process, and it will not take a long time and will not be painful. Pelvic floor examination includes pelvic floor muscle assessment, pelvic floor color ultrasound, gynecological examination, etc.

| How to prevent pelvic floor dysfunction after childbirth?

First of all, you should go to the hospital in time to receive pelvic floor rehabilitation treatment;

Secondly, you can also do functional exercises at home, including Kegel exercises, pelvic floor yoga, etc.

Here I would like to share with you a simple action, which is to consciously stop urinating when you are urinating. This feeling is the contraction of the pelvic floor muscles. So once you find this feeling, you can contract the pelvic floor muscles at any time, and then hold for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, and then relax, and then tighten again. Keep relaxing and tightening like this, and you can do it anytime and anywhere. This is a good exercise for the pelvic floor muscles.

In addition, you should not lift heavy objects, keep your bowels open, do not use force to defecate, and control your body shape, especially your belly should not be too big, because these factors will increase abdominal pressure and lead to the occurrence of pelvic floor dysfunction.

| Can pelvic floor dysfunction be cured immediately after treatment?

Of course not. Pelvic floor muscle damage is not caused in one or two days, and recovery must be gradual. If it reaches a very serious level, surgical treatment is required.

(Picture from the Internet)