Pelvic health issues are uncomfortable to discuss, but they’re even more uncomfortable to live with. Such issues are more common than many women realize, with full a third of all American women reporting a pelvic health issue by age 60, according to the National Women’s Health Resource Center.
Fortunately, there are very effective, clinically based treatments available for a range of pelvic health issues. Before you speak to a physician about a pelvic health disorder, allow this article to serve as a primer to help prepare you for what to expect.
Q. What is the pelvic floor, and what is a pelvic floor disorder?
Broadly speaking, the pelvic floor includes the connective tissues, ligaments, muscles and nerves that support the organs located in the pelvis, including the bladder, rectum, uterus and vagina. These muscles and connective tissues generally serve as a “hammock” for these organs, keeping them in place and ensuring they continue to function properly.
A pelvic floor disorder occurs when this hammock of muscles and connective tissues isn’t performing as it should. These organs can shift, leading to problems like urinary incontinence, or the inability to control your bladder, or fecal incontinence, where it’s difficult to control your bowels.
Another common disorder is pelvic organ prolapse, in which the muscles and connective tissue supporting the bladder, bowel or uterus become stretched or weakened, causing these organs to rest against the vagina. This can cause a bulge in the vaginal canal that can be uncomfortable generally and even painful during intercourse.
Q. What causes pelvic floor disorders?
Pregnancy and childbirth — especially vaginal childbirth (as opposed to cesarean births) — are the leading reason women develop pelvic floor disorders. And the more times a woman has given birth, the greater her risk for developing a pelvic floor disorder.
Childbirth isn’t the only risk factor, however. Such disorders tend to be more common in women who are overweight, as well as women who have engaged in heavy lifting, as well as women who have undergone previous pelvic surgeries or radiation treatments to the pelvic area. Some women, too, are genetically predisposed to pelvic health issues, inheriting the risk from their parents and grandparents.
Q. Aren’t incontinence and prolapse normal parts of aging?
While the frequency and even severity of pelvic health disorders tend to increase as women age, there’s no reason why women should just accept these as a normal part of life.
Pelvic floor disorders are extremely common, and a great deal of medical research and innovation has been dedicated to developing extremely effective treatments for these issues. A specialized women’s health professional can provide excellent insight into a number of clinically based treatments to treat most pelvic health issues, providing a leg up to a better quality of life. Many of those treatments are available close to home through Tanner Women’s Care, including minimally invasive and even robotic-assisted surgical options and specialized, women-focused urology care.
Q. When should someone seek care for a pelvic flood disorder?
There’s no time like the present. While it’s understandable that women are hesitant to discuss personal problems like pelvic health disorders, Tanner Women’s Care has worked to develop a specialized approach to help women overcome these disorders, and the medical staff at Tanner discuss these issues with women every day.
This isn’t just a matter of helping you achieve better health, but a better quality of life. There are millions of women living with pelvic health issues, and expert care is available right here in west Georgia and east Alabama.
Visit TannerWomensCare.org or call 770-214-CARE (2273) to find a pelvic health expert who can help you.
Carrollton OB-GYN is located in Carrollton. For more information, call 770-214-2229.