Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions
Classification of Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions - 4 categories
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Laxity: may happen with habitual valsalva maneuvers with defecation, urination, vaginal delivery, normal aging, nerve damage, urinary and fecal incontinence and post abdominal surgery
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Tension/Hypertonus: trauma (falls, coccyx fracture, episiotomies, sexual abuse), chronic constipation, interstitial cystitis, vulvar pain syndrome, obturator internus spasm, levator ani spasm, piriformis syndrome, post lumbar surgery complications or psychological factors (stress).
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In-coordination: lumbo-pelvic muscle imbalance, length and tone problems, function versus strength, gait and balance issues.
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Disuse: lack of use, no intercourse, lack of orgasm, or lack of body awareness.
Supportive Dysfunctions
Supportive dysfunctions are characterized by a loss of strength of the pelvic floor’s connective tissue and muscle fibers. This can lead to prolapse, urinary or bowel incontinence, or weaker orgasms or a lack of orgasm.
A prolapse is a condition in which the pelvic organs sag down toward the pelvic floor. You may experience a feeling of heaviness in the area of your vagina or anus. Prolonged strain on the muscles and ligaments of the pelvic floor can cause this. Support for these organs is lost.
Prolapse can occur for various reasons. For example, the increasing abdominal weight during pregnancy or chronic constipation leading to excessive strain on the pelvic floor during bowel movements can lead to different types of prolapse.
Urinary incontinence or bowel incontinence may be your problem……….
You may also have weaker orgasms or the inability to have an orgasm. This can be caused by muscle weakness of the superficial vaginal muscles. A result may be lack of enjoyment during foreplay and intercourse.
Hypertonus Dysfunctions
Hypertonus dysfunctions are characterized by tension or active spasm of the pelvic floor muscles. Causes might include sexual abuse such as rape, post-surgical pelvic pain, poor posture, social and emotional stress, athletic injuries of the groin region or a forceful blow to the pelvis.
A simple example includes a fall to the buttocks that can injure the tailbone or throw the pelvis out of alignment. In turn, the muscles supporting this area can go into spasm. These tender muscles can refer pain to areas such as the rectum, vagina, hips, groin, thighs, low back, tailbone and buttocks.
Musculoskeletal Problems
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Hypertonus Trauma: childbirth, tailbone fracture, sexual abuse, hamstrings or groin pull.
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True Coccydynia: specific pain around the anus and tailbone because of some trauma
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Coccygeus Muscle Pain Syndrome “My Butt hurts”- pain around the anus and tailbone
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Pelvic Muscle Tension Syndromes- vaginismus, obturator internus spasm, levator ani spasms, piriformis syndrome.