If you are a woman, you should know your pelvic floor and the important role it plays in your health. The pelvic floor is a term that refers to the muscles, ligaments and connective tissue that support the pelvic organs, including the uterus and bladder. These muscles and ligaments are joined in the form of a figure eight that surrounds the vaginal and rectal openings.
Violation of the pelvic floor can lead to several conditions in women:
- Incontinence occurs when the muscles cannot support the weight of a full bladder and, therefore, are leaking.
- Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when it is too loose or too weak to support one or more of the pelvic organs. The lack of muscle support causes the organs to fall from their normal position on the walls of the vagina. In severe cases, the organ may protrude from the vagina. Any organ in the pelvic area can fall: the bladder, the uterus, the intestines, the rectum or even the vagina itself.
- Lack of sexual sensation is often found in women with a violation of the pelvic floor. These women generally have difficulty or inability to reach orgasm.
The pelvic floor can be damaged in two main ways: muscle damage and nerve damage.
Muscle damage
Muscles carry a heavy load. Throughout a woman’s life, muscles experience stress from many factors that can stretch and weaken muscles:
- Pregnancy Added Weight
- Vaginal delivery
- Pelvic surgery, including caesarean section and hysterectomy.
- Overweight
- Chronic constipation
The negative impact of these factors is exacerbated by changes in hormonal levels throughout a woman’s life. For example, relaxing during pregnancy promotes muscle relaxation. The decrease in estrogen levels during menopause can also contribute to pelvic problems.
Nerve damage
Muscles are ultimately controlled by the brain through a network of nerves. Therefore, any condition that affects the health of the nerves between the brain and the pelvic floor physiotherapy can cause problems in this area. Medical problems that can affect the transmission of nerves to the pelvic floor include:
- Parkinson’s disease
- Spinal surgery
- Stroke
- Birth injury
- Diabetes
Most obstetricians-gynecologists, midwives and other well-groomed women recommend that women perform Kegel exercises to maintain and strengthen the pelvic floor. Kegel includes the isolation and work of the same muscle, which was used to stop the flow of urine in the middle course.
