Be it men or women, their pelvic floor muscles have a vital role to play.
Speaking specifically about women, these muscles are responsible for supporting the bladder, rectum, vagina, and uterus.
This should give the idea that most of the reproductive system depends on the health of the pelvic floor muscles.
Due to these muscles’ contractions, the body can control urine, poop, and flatulence.
They even play a major sexual function, increasing blood flow to the vagina and helping it contract during an orgasm.
These muscles should ideally function well but are vulnerable to dysfunction, like any other body part.
When a disorder in this area occurs, the woman is said to suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction.
In this article, we will understand this condition in detail along with effective treatment options.
Understanding the Painful Condition
As per the Cleveland Clinic, pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when the said muscles do not relax or coordinate properly.
This would create problems while going to pee or poop.
Under normal circumstances, a woman can urinate or defecate with ease as the pelvic floor muscles contract and gradually relax.
This action is similar to any other muscular activity like clenching a fist or lifting a heavy box.
In the case of pelvic floor dysfunction, the body continues to contract the muscles instead of relaxing them at the right time.
The following symptoms occur due to this condition:
● Inability to have a proper bowel movement or constipation
● Leaking urine or stool
● Frequent bathroom visits
● Unexplained pain in the lower back
● Painful urination
● Stinging sensation or pain in the pelvic region, including genitals and rectum
Various causes are known to result in pelvic floor disorder. These include aging, increased stress, straining of pelvic floor muscles, traumatic injuries, and connective tissue disorders.
Studies have found that the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction among women is high.
At least 32% of women are likely to experience the symptoms of this condition once in their life.
It occurs even among healthy, non-pregnant women.
Proposed Effective Treatment for the gynaecological Issue
The question is whether any effective medical treatments are available to root out pelvic floor dysfunction.
Besides being prescribed certain medications to strengthen the muscles, one proposed treatment was the use of a transvaginal mesh.
It is a net-like synthetic implant that may be surgically placed inside the vagina.
Appearing to be a hammock, this device was said to support the weakened pelvic floor muscles and the organs found within the said region.
As per studies conducted in 2022, this medical tool had a composite success rate of 87.4%.
This sounds good on the surface but the device’s complications cancel out its effectiveness.
Women alleged that they sustained severe injuries like infection, mesh erosion, pain, scarring, urinary problems, and more.
An active vaginal mesh lawsuit runs through the Federal courts against manufacturers like American Medical Systems, Boston Scientific Corp, and Ethicon, among others.
According to TorHoerman Law, 95% of the suits have been settled as of February 2024.
This means there is currently no multi-district litigation (MDL). Still, lawyers are accepting new filings as separate cases.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the supply of transvaginal mesh for pelvic organ prolapse (a type of pelvic floor disorder) in 2019.
This was mainly done because the device’s effectiveness could not override its risks.
Alternative Treatments to Consider
With a major proposed treatment out of the picture, the medical industry was on the lookout for alternative methods.
It appears that the following treatments have shown some promise.
Physical Therapy
This alternative treatment involves what is known as biofeedback from a physical therapist.
The healthcare professional would recognize the tense muscles and teach the patient relevant exercises to improve coordination.
The manual techniques used in this treatment can enhance muscle tone and facilitate better movement and flexibility.
With time, the patient can see improvement in urine frequency, bowel irregularities, and muscular relaxation.
Acupuncture
This treatment involves the strategic placement of needles to help the pelvic floor muscles relax and increase blood flow to the area.
Acupuncture is even good for pain management which is characteristic of this disorder.
Over time, the muscles strengthen and relax, enabling the patient to have renewed control over them.
Finally, let’s talk about the prognosis when it comes to the aforementioned treatments.
Is pelvic floor dysfunction curable? Yes, to a large extent, it is.
However, it may take the patient several months of routine physical therapy, acupuncture, medication, or a combination of these to recover completely.
Unless aging has naturally made the muscles too weak to regain strength, getting healed of pelvic floor disorder should not be impossible.
Patients who stick to their care plan notice the most improvements.
(image from pixahive, licence free by Sukhjinder)
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