Pelvic Floor Therapy

Pelvic Floor Therapy

PELVIC FLOOR THERAPY offered by Dr. Amanda Grischow

Physician assessment, hands on treatment and other therapeutic options

Although this type of therapy is typically performed by physical therapists, being a physician who does this type of work makes me uniquely able to add on an assessment of the pelvic floor muscles to your annual well woman exam and incorporate additional treatment strategies for a well-rounded approach to your concerns. I get to combine soft tissue work and muscular retraining techniques for the pelvic floor muscles that are typically used in pelvic floor therapy with the rest of my tools like nutritional counseling, herbal medicine, pharmaceutical medications, stress management, and acupuncture.

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is made up of a group of muscles in the lower core. The muscles create a strong foundation for the pelvic and lower abdominal organs and help to control bladder and bowel function. When there is tightness or weakness in the pelvic floor muscles, people can experience pain, changes in bowel and bladder function, and sexual dysfunction. Often, people experience a combination of weak and tight muscles in the pelvic floor.

Symptoms of tight pelvic floor muscles Symptoms of weak pelvic floor muscles
·       Urinary frequency
·       Urinary incontinence
·       Painful urination
·       Pelvic pain
·       Pain with intercourse
·       Constipation
·       Low back pain		 ·       Urinary incontinence
·       Fecal incontinence
·       Passing gas while lifting
·       Pelvic organ prolapse
·       Recurrent urinary tract infections
·       Pain with intercourse

What is Pelvic Floor Therapy?

Pelvic floor therapy is an in-office, hands-on treatment for the muscles, ligaments, and tendons of the pelvic floor. During pelvic floor therapy your practitioner will evaluate your pelvic floor muscles to determine if they are too weak, too tight, or a combination of the two and use a variety of techniques to help relax or strengthen the muscles. These techniques most often include stretching and strengthening exercises, trigger point release, and muscle retraining. Although this therapy is performed in office, your practitioner will likely provide you with at-home treatment recommendations as well. 

Who can benefit from Pelvic Floor Therapy?

Pelvic floor dysfunction can manifest as many different symptoms associated with bladder, bowel, and sexual function. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, you might benefit from pelvic floor therapy.  A pelvic floor evaluation can provide information to help your provider determine if you are a good candidate for this therapy and if your symptoms may be due to pelvic floor dysfunction.

What would make a patient a poor candidate for Pelvic Floor Therapy?

  • Uncomfortable having a pelvic exam
  • Religious/spiritual beliefs prohibiting pelvic exams
  • Current pregnancy
  • Immediate post-partum
  • Post-operative less than 6 weeks
  • Current vaginal, urinary, or anal/rectal infection

How long does treatment typically last?

This will differ based on your specific concerns. Each visit will last approximately one hour. Most patients will start with having a treatment once per week for the first 4 weeks, and then will reduce appointment frequency after that as symptoms improve. If you are a new patient to Boise Natural Health Clinic, your first appointment will last a little longer so that we can gather a detailed medical history.

Pricing follows our standard pricing structure for visits with naturopathic physicians.

Read an article by Dr. Grischow – Say Goodbye to Pelvic Pain