Surprising Facts about Your Pelvic Floor

Surprising Facts about Your Pelvic Floor

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Though you may be aware you have a pelvic floor, you may not realize exactly what it does or what makes up your pelvic floor. You also may not realize how health, lifestyle, activities, and circumstances affect your pelvic floor, or how important it is to have a healthy pelvic floor.

Being knowledgeable and informed about the pelvic floor can help you work to have a healthy pelvic floor and minimize your risks of pelvic floor disorders.

FACTS ABOUT YOUR PELVIC FLOOR

  1. The muscles, ligaments, connective tissues, and nerves that make up the pelvic floor work together to support your bladder, bowel, and uterus.
  2. The pelvic floor is a hammock that supports your body’s movement, balance, stability, and flexibility.
  3. Your spine is stabilized by the pelvic floor working with your abdominal and back muscles.
  4. Having a healthy pelvic floor can allow you to control your bladder and bowel so that you can use the restroom at more convenient times.
  5. The pelvic floor provides support for pregnancy and childbirth.
  6. A healthy pelvic floor can aid in sexual pleasure.
  7. Heavy lifting can weaken the pelvic floor and cause pelvic organ prolapse.
  8. Age, genetics, and menopause are risk factors you cannot control which can contribute to pelvic floor problems.
  9. Obesity, surgery, childbirth, frequent constipation, and a chronic cough can negatively affect your pelvic floor.
  10. You can help your pelvic floor by not smoking, exercising regularly, and eating a diet high in protein, fruits and vegetables.
  11. Estrogen is important for a healthy pelvic floor because vaginal and pelvic tissues rely on it for strength and to maintain muscles and elasticity.
  12. Losing control of your pelvic floor muscles can cause pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD).
  13. The pelvic floor can spasm and tighten which causes intense pain and discomfort, or it can weaken and sag which can cause pelvic organ prolapse, sexual dysfunction, or urinary incontinence.
  14. Kegel exercises, perineal massage, and squatting can help strengthen the pelvic floor.
  15. There are a number of treatment options–from exercise to therapy to medication to surgery–to help with a wide variety of pelvic floor issues.

If you suspect you have an issue with your pelvic floor, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor. You may also want to consult with a urogynecologist who specializes in treating both the urologic and reproductive systems in women You don’t have to suffer silently with pelvic floor issues. There is help and hope for you.

This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com and used by permission. See the original article here: 10 Surprising Facts about Pelvic Floor.

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