A little disclaimer, expect to get to know a lot about me in this post. I’m about to be as raw as ever because I feel like sparing any details would keep my situation from being relatable.
I want every woman who is going through something similar, to know they’re not alone.
With that being said, I have pelvic floor dysfunction. And chances are, if you made it to this post, you’re questioning whether you have it as well. Or perhaps you do have it and came here in need of a friend. I got you girl!
Today I wanted to share my experience having been to a pelvic floor therapist for the first time. But before I jump in, let’s start from the beginning.
What Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Pelvic floor dysfunction is when there is too much or not enough tension on the pelvic floor muscles. Therefore contributing to urinary and/or bowel incontinence, constipation, pain during intercourse or pain in the lower back, pelvic region, genitals or rectum.
I’m not gonna lie, typing that sentence was scary. While I don’t struggle with all of those symptoms, I do suffer from a few. And now you know way too much information about me! Haha!
In all seriousness, if you read that sentence and could relate to it, please know there is nothing to be ashamed of. You can seek help and treatment that is right for you. You do not need to suffer from these symptoms for the rest of your life.
I know I waited entirely too long to seek help. But that stemmed more so from the lack of knowledge that I have now. It took two years for me to realize that I had another option! That I didn’t have to accept bowel incontinence for the rest of my life. Yep, you read that right.
So what’s your other option? Pelvic floor physical therapy!
What Is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?
Pelvic floor physical therapy is a treatment to help address pain, weakness and dysfunction in the pelvic floor muscles.
Pretty straightforward huh? However, everyone struggles with different symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction so treatment doesn’t look the same for everyone. But don’t worry, physical therapists are professionals!
Why Did I Choose To See A Pelvic Floor Therapist?
Because I’m sure you’re just dying to know more about my unembellished truth, there are actually a few reasons I reached out to a pelvic floor therapist.
As I mentioned earlier, I do struggle with bowel incontinence. Fortunately it’s not to the extreme of having to wear adult diapers. I basically just have to run to the bathroom as soon as I have to go.
It’s something I’ve been dealing with since my son was an infant and have for so long just lived with. If you’ve been around for awhile and read my post 5 Postpartum Hacks You Need To Know, you may already know that I had a third degree tear during childbirth. So even though I never expected to have to experience bowel incontinence, I’m not surprised in the slightest.
Another reason I chose to see a pelvic floor therapist was because of constantly having to squeeze my legs closed when I sneezed. Something that hasn’t been such a huge deal until this pregnancy, but an issue regardless. I can’t imagine anyone enjoys peeing themselves during allergy season or when having to squat down to grab something.
And lastly, just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, at about 24 weeks gestation I started having pain after intercourse.
When asked how severe my pain was on a scale from 1-10, 10 being the worst, I responded with an 8. Just to give you an idea of the discomfort I was feeling.
You should know, I did express my concern with my OBGYN. I was told that my pain may go away once the baby shifted. However, the pain was likely to come back once I reached the end of my third trimester because of how the baby and my body prepares for birth.
Of course there would be more pressure and discomfort towards the end of my pregnancy. But I never experienced this much pain while pregnant with my son and I was only 24 weeks pregnant! I decided that waiting for my pain to possibly go away, wasn’t an option.
How My First Visit Went
I really want to give as much information as I can because I had no idea what to expect from my first visit with my therapist.
The night before I was extremely nervous and I know plenty of women who would feel the same.
To get right to it, you should expect some kind of internal work. Whether that’s a vaginal exam, rectal exam, or both.
For me it was both. However, since it can be overwhelming, I had one exam done my first appointment and the other exam during my second.
Along with my exam, I filled out a questionnaire to help my therapist know just what it was that brought me to her. We discussed all of my symptoms, practiced small exercises and she even did some massage therapy.
Ladies, you know what to expect during a pap smear at your OBGYN. This exam is not that! No metal speculums were used during my exam. So at least you have one thing to look forward to lol.
With that being said, the exam itself took longer than a regular pap smear. And that was not something I was prepared for. It was pretty uncomfortable and painful at times. I have scar tissue from my tear and my therapist needed to assess the trigger points in my pelvic floor muscles and find out what treatment options would be best for me.
So, was it awkward? Yep. Was it uncomfortable? Yep. Did I really want to come back for my second appointment? Not at all. But my PT is a professional, my OBGYN wasn’t giving me the answers I needed and being a 20 year old woman struggling as much as I am, I knew I needed to stick with it. I needed to continue to learn about my body and work towards fixing the problem.
While my first visit was nerve racking to say the least, it went really well. And I left feeling more aware of what my body was actually going through.
What I Learned From My First Visit
After my exam and exercises, I learned that I do indeed have pelvic floor dysfunction.
My pelvic floor muscles actually overcompensate and what should be really easy for me to do, like a kegel for example, required too much effort.
Since my pelvic floor muscles are tense and lack support, the ligaments holding up my pelvis are tender from doing so much work. What should have been a rather relaxing massage, was actually slightly uncomfortable because of sore tissue.
Conclusion
After a couple appointments, I now know how to properly do a kegel and I have a few exercises up my sleeve to practice daily and to practice whenever I’m in pain.
While there’s not a whole lot we can do with me being in my third trimester now, I’ve been able to make that connection between my mind and body and really focus on exercising and relaxing my pelvic floor muscles.
I feel reassured from knowing that my issues are actually very common and not embarrassing.
Being more in-tune with my body helps me feel a little less disappointed in her. I grew a whole person, and a rather chunky one at that haha, delivered him vaginally and am beyond blessed to be able to carry another child and hopefully have the opportunity to deliver her vaginally as well.
I’m proud of what my body has been able to accomplish. So what if I have to go through a little physical therapy?