Incontinence, erectile dysfunction, pelvic or groin related pain are all symptoms of underlying conditions. If the focus of the treatment is on the symptoms without addressing the cause, a patient may need to depend on related healthcare products for life. Some others resort to surgical or other invasive interventions for which the results may vary. A Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist has received advanced training to assess the patient and offer a safe non-invasive treatment with specialized equipment. Results are such that patients can regain their independence and are able to engage in activities that they used to do years ago.

An individual, comprehensive assessment is critical to obtain a complete picture of what is causing the symptoms. The pelvic area and symptoms in this area are very private to a person. Most men find it difficult to talk about. Many times, the symptoms may be just the tip of the iceberg. A detailed assessment of contributing factors needs to be conducted before an effective treatment plan can be established. Symptoms can be caused by a variety of physical, emotional and behavioural components.

For example, patients with pelvic health issues are often given a brochure with simple instructions to do Kegel’s exercise to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. Frequently, the patients end up doing these contractions incorrectly so that the treatment is non-effective. Even worse, they are sometimes given this generic exercise when the exercise is actually contraindicated for their specific symptoms. A history of chronic pain, previous surgeries or implants, trauma, and adhesive scar tissue and many other contraindications needs to be fully assessed and ruled out before delving into pelvic floor physiotherapy.

A ‘one for all’ design of treatment does not work in this case. Two different patients can report symptoms of pain or sexual dysfunction. However, their treatment plan may differ. One patient may need a treatment plan that strengthens but the other may benefit from a treatment plan that stretches the tight pelvic floor muscles to reduce tone. Some others may have internal scar tissue which will have to be specifically treated.

Using Biofeedback is a recent advance in treatment methods that helps both the patient and physiotherapist see the results of strengthening treatment right away. This advanced tool senses the muscle effort and provides results that give the patient and physiotherapist a measurable parameter. These measurements help to understand the efficacy of the treatment and appropriate progression or changes as necessary.