Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
What is pelvic floor muscle dysfunction?
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that span the bottom of your pelvis. Your pelvic floor muscles are important while supporting your organs, peeing, pooping, sexual activity, and birthing a baby. Just like any other muscle group, tightness or weakness of those muscles can cause pain and dysfunction. Both men and women have pelvic floor muscles and can have issues with this muscle group. Physical therapy or occupational therapy is an effective treatment resulting in improved pelvic floor muscle function.
Why might I need pelvic floor physical therapy?
Pelvic Pain
- Pelvic/Vaginal Pain (vaginismus)
- Painful Sex (dyspareunia)
- Endometriosis
- Tailbone pain (coccydynia)
- Muscle spasms in the pelvis
- Abdominal pain
- Cancer related symptoms
Perinatal/Post Partum
- Pregnancy related pain
- Postpartum issues and wellness
- Cesarean recovery
- Diastasis Recti
- Birth preparation
- Pudendal Neuralgia
Bladder Health
- Incontinence
- Straining or difficulty emptying your bladder
- Overactive Bladder
- Frequent UTI’s
Bowel Health
- Bowel leaking (fecal incontinence)
- Constipation
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Male Specific Symptoms
- Penis and scrotal pain
- Painful erection or ejaculation
- Chronic (nonbacterial) prostatitis
- Post-prostatectomy
Before Treatment
You do not need a referral for physical therapy in Illinois from your physician, but you do for occupational therapy. Training to become a pelvic floor therapist is all performed after graduating from physical therapy or occupational therapy. PT’s and OT’s can both become pelvic floor therapists with extra training. For females, if you recently had a baby, it is important to see a physician to get cleared for pelvic floor therapy. For males, it is important to see a physician to rule out an infection or prostate cancer. We will send you intake paperwork prior to your first visit. You do not need to prepare anything other than arriving ready to discuss your goals or questions. Please wear comfortable clothes.
We are in network with BlueCross BlueShield and Medicare. There are self pay options if you are not insured, at $225 for the initial evaluation and $175 for follow up visits. Emerge accepts out of network insurance at our self pay rate. We will provide you with a detailed invoice and superbill to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. Please wear whatever is comfortable to the initial evaluation. Please contact Nicole to discuss if you have any concerns – nicolewodka@emergeptw.com
Treatment
During your first visit, we will privately discuss any problems you’re experiencing, your personal history of the problem, medical history, as well as your goals for treatment. A pelvic floor examination may include the following: examination of the lumbar spine and hips, internal and external assessment of the pelvic floor muscles and tissues, strength assessment, and postural assessment. During the first visit, we will begin treatment of your current issues. Treatment may include manual therapies, exercise, education, and re-training of muscles.
An internal pelvic floor muscle examination will only be performed if deemed appropriate and with your consent.
Pelvic floor therapy evaluations and treatment are performed one-on-one in a private treatment room.