About Pelvic Floor Disorders

More than 25 million people suffer from pelvic floor disorders. A pelvic floor disorder is a broad term that describes a number of conditions that originate in the pelvic region.

Men and women both have a pelvic floor. In men, the pelvic floor refers to the muscles, tissues and nerves that support the bladder, rectum and other pelvic organs. In women, the pelvic floor refers to the muscles, ligaments and connective tissues and nerves that support the bladder, uterus, vagina and rectum.

Even though most cases of pelvic floor disorders are treatable, many people never seek medical care due to embarrassment or misunderstanding.

We’re here to help.

Please contact one of our Pelvic Floor Centers for more information or to schedule an appointment.

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Symptoms

The symptoms for Pelvic Floor disorders vary by type.

Urinary incontinence: Urine leakage when you laugh, cough, sneeze, exercise or lift heavy objects
Urge incontinence: Inability to hold your urine in time to reach the bathroom; intense feeling like you must urinate more than 8 times in 24 hours
Fecal incontinence: Leakage of liquid stool, gas or hard stool; feeling of urgency to get to the bathroom
Functional bowel constipation: Difficulty having a bowel movement; needing to strain to have a bowel movement; feeling of abdominal discomfort, gas or bloating; hard or firm stools
Pelvic organ prolapse: Discomfort or pressure feeling in the pelvic region; bulge near the opening of the vagina that worsen at the end of the day; vaginal bleeding; urinary incontinence; difficulty starting your stream or difficulty having a bowel movement
Pelvic pain: Unexplained lower back pain; ongoing pain in your pelvic region, genitals or rectum; females experiencing pain during intercourse

Female Pelvic Floor Disorders

Although pelvic floor disorders affect one in four women, many women never seek medical treatment. The Sentara Pelvic Floor Centers are here to provide education, diagnostic testing and treatment options.

There are four main types of pelvic floor disorders in women:

Bladder Incontinence - Lack of bladder control
Bowel Incontinence or Functional Bowel Constipation - Lack of bowel control or infrequent bowel movements
Pelvic Organ Prolapse - A condition in which the uterus, bladder and bowel may "drop" onto the vagina and cause a bulge through the vaginal canal
Pelvic Pain - Pain in the pelvic region

Many women are sensitive and embarrassed about their condition or assume it is a natural result of aging or childbirth. Pelvic floor disorders are not just a normal part of aging but they are treatable and controllable.

Male Pelvic Floor Disorders

Men experience pelvic floor disorders, too. You may be experiencing tight or weak pelvic floor muscles, pelvic pain, or increased/decreased sensitivity that result in one or more of these abnormalities:

Bladder Incontinence
Low urinary flow rate
Bowel incontinence or functional bowel constipation
Chronic pelvic pain
Sexual dysfunction
Rectal prolapse

Men primarily experience these symptoms as a result of a nerve or prostate issue. If you are experiencing one of these symptoms, please contact one of the Sentara Pelvic Floor Centers or learn more about Urology at Sentara.