Advancements In Non-surgical Treatments For Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
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Millions of women around the world have been suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction. This is a condition where the muscles and tissues supporting the woman’s bladder, uterus, and rectum get weakened. In turn, it severely affects a woman’s daily life.
You would find difficulty in doing your normal day-to-day physical activities. Your desire to socialize with people decreases. Studies indicate that 25% of women in the U.S. have at least one PFD, and that rate doubles for women over 80.
Fortunately, there are non-surgical treatment options available that are more effective and make life easier for women with PFD. This article focuses on such advancements in non-surgical treatments which are indeed a boon to women of this generation.
Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) can show up in various conditions. Firstly it can manifest itself in urinary incontinence, or leaking urine. Secondly, fecal incontinence which means difficulty in controlling bowel movements. The third condition is pelvic organ prolapse, where organs slip from their original positions.
In Spain, an observational study was conducted with women in 2021 and 2022. A total of 1,446 women took part in that study. Out of these 1,446 women, 5.8% of the women (807) had urinary incontinence, 10.4% had fecal incontinence, 14.0% had symptomatic uterine prolapse, and 18.7% (271) had pelvic pain.
When it comes to risk factors, several factors contribute to PFD. However, childbirth is one of the most common factors. Pregnancy and vaginal delivery tend to stretch and weaken the young pelvic floor muscles. This is one of the main reasons for PFD.
The other significant factor is aging. As you age, your muscles and connective tissues naturally lose that strength and elasticity. Moreover, obesity and constant coughing start to creep in which is another reason for PFD during aging.
Speaking of treatments, traditionally, surgical treatments have always been the go-to option for PFD types like pelvic organ prolapse. The procedure is done to reconstruct pelvic floor anatomy by stitching or placing supportive materials like mesh.
However, in recent years, there have been concerns about the safety of transvaginal mesh implants for women who have had this surgery. This indeed has led to various women filing a vaginal mesh lawsuit.
These women have had complications like pain, pelvic infection, and the erosion of the mesh into surrounding muscle tissues. The risks have made them wonder if the surgeries are safe. As TorHoerman Law points out, the victims claim that the companies misled them about the safety and effectiveness of transvaginal mesh implants.
As a result of these issues, there has been a growing interest in non-surgical treatment options. These treatments potentially offer better outcomes, with fewer side effects.
Non-surgical Approaches to Managing PFD
Non-surgical approaches to managing PFD have gained significant traction from people in the US for the last few years. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is one such highly recommended method that strengthens the muscles, improves muscle function, and reduces PFD symptoms.
PFMT can be performed under healthcare professional guidance. You can learn and practice PFMT exercises in the right way with the help of biofeedback. It is a technique that gives you real-time feedback on muscle contractions. Additionally, vaginal cones are another great option for strengthening these muscles.
Physical therapy is another important part of non-surgical PFD management. You can get in touch with a therapist who specializes in pelvic health. They offer hands-on treatment to massage muscles, relieve tension, and improve their function.
Other emerging technologies like pulsed magnetic stimulation have also shown a lot of promise. This method is another non-surgical approach specially used for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
More than all of these above approaches, one thing that is very important in managing PFD is to make lifestyle modifications. If you can manage your weight by maintaining a healthy diet, it puts less pressure on pelvic floors.
Research shows that losing 12-20% of weight in the short term can be achieved with lifestyle modification and a low-calorie diet. You can also train your bladder like scheduled voiding which could help you in managing urinary incontinence.
Benefits of Choosing Non-surgical Treatments
Choosing non-surgical treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) over traditional surgical treatments has various advantages.
- Firstly, non-surgical treatments don’t involve cuts and stitches. So, the risk of complications reduces with less recovery time.
- You will have fewer side effects with non-surgical treatment as compared to traditional surgical procedures.
- The third most important benefit of non-surgical treatments is effective PFD symptom management. This is a safer option where a therapist can tailor the treatment according to individual needs and conditions.
To sum it up, pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) can seriously impact a woman's life. Fortunately, there are a lot of effective non-surgical options out there. PFD symptoms can be managed using a variety of approaches, including pelvic floor muscle training, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications.
If you're experiencing PFD symptoms, you should seek professional assistance immediately. A healthcare professional can help you find the right non-surgical options for improving your quality of life.
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