In women, pelvic floor disorders often result from childbirth. Our team offers specialized testing and treatment if you’re a woman with a PFD that develops during the peripartum period (during pregnancy and for up to one year after childbirth). Learn more about our care for peripartum and postpartum PFDs.
Other causes of PFDs can include:
- Heavy lifting or straining
- Menopause
- Obesity
- Prior surgeries or radiation exposure to the pelvis
Though many people think the symptoms of a PFD are a natural part of getting older, they are not a routine part of aging. However, they do become more common as people get older.
PFDs are relatively common, particularly in women. As the National Institutes of Health reports, nearly 24% of women have at least one PFD.
It may be, but there are many conditions that can cause pain in the lower torso or pelvic area. These include:
- A pelvic floor disorder (PFD)
- Adenomyosis (a breakthrough of the inner lining of the uterus through the muscle wall of the uterus)
- Endometriosis (the growth of tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus in an area outside your uterus)
- Interstitial cystitis (inflamed bladder)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Uterine fibroids (noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during childbearing years)
We’ll start by asking you about your health history and your pain, as well as any other symptoms, such as whether you’re spotting between periods or if it hurts to go to the bathroom. You may need tests, such as a urine test or a pelvic ultrasound, to help us narrow down the cause of your pain.
Once we understand your symptoms and condition, we’ll work with you to create a personalized treatment plan. Your treatment may include:
- Behavioral changes
- Biofeedback (using sensors with audible tones to help teach you how to exercise your pelvic floor muscles)
- Kegel exercises
- Medication
- Pelvic floor surgery
- Physical therapy