Pelvic Floor & More
Monthly updates to help you achieve and maintain a healthy and happy bladder, core, and pelvic floor
October 2021
Have you seen the series "Maid" on Netflix yet? If you haven't, I highly recommend it, as this month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The movie does an excellent job of demonstrating how insidious abuse can be and helps demonstrate the difficulties and complexities of escaping the situation.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking. I find these numbers shockingly high.
And it got me thinking—what is the pelvic floor fallout from domestic violence?
While I've always been aware that sexual abuse survivors suffer pelvic pain at a higher rate, I did not know as much about the connection between intimate partner violence and other pelvic floor problems. Turns out that overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is significantly higher—in fact one study found that 1 in 5 patients with OAB at a urogynecology practice were victims of domestic violence.
(See my Exercise of the Month and one of the linked articles below for some assistance with OAB.)
In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I am giving away 5 free 1-hour PT telehealth sessions. These free sessions are open to anyone living in IL, CA or FL who has been a victim of intimate partner violence, at any time.
If you or someone you know has ever been a victim and suffers from any pelvic floor problem such as incontinence, overactive bladder, pain with intercourse, pelvic organ prolapse or pelvic pain, contact me in complete confidence to set up your free appointment.
As the fall nights grow longer, now is the perfect time to work on getting your bladder to sleep through the night. Consider the following tips for better shut-eye 😴
Sleep Tips for Your Bladder
1. Avoid drinking anything after dinner. If you need to have a sip or take medication, be sure to have only plain water.
2. Stick to drinking plain water throughout the day—skip the bubbles and caffeine, which can overstimulate your bladder. (Note: You may want to slowly decrease your intake of caffeine over several days to avoid getting headaches.)
3. Two hours before bedtime, lie down and elevate your legs above your heart for a few minutes; while in this position, move your ankles and feet around to stimulate circulation
4. Empty your bladder before bed
5. Keep your room cold, and yourself warm for better sleep when you climb into bed
6. Time for some 💤💤💤's!
What's new from around the Web?
These tips are helpful not only for survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, but also for anyone who finds pelvic exams anxiety-provoking. Saying the words "pelvic exams are hard for me" is a simple way to communicate with your provider that this is challenging for
you. Remember too that you can always say no to ANY exam. Finally, remember that you can work on mindfully relaxing the pelvic floor muscles to help a pelvic exam go easier.
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Different foods and drinks can affect people in different ways, and figuring out what your bladder is sensitive to can help you get control over your symptoms. If you have an overactive bladder, check this list out.
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Losing a few drops of urine after voiding can be embarrassing and annoying, and is a common problem, especially among men. Learn what causes this problem, as well as two effective strategies that can help abolish it. Also, check out the " Pelvic floor exercises for men" link included in the article—it is excellent.
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Happy Halloween and thanks for reading! 🎃
Are there other topics related to the pelvic floor and core that you would like to know more
about? Hit reply and let me know! I just may include them next month 😊
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Owner | My Physical Therapy, PLLC | VirtualPT
angela@mypelvictherapy.com
224-255-7678
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