The Causes & Effects of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

27 Jul 2010 6 Comments

by Lolly Pops & Flip Flops in bible, birth, BLADDER PAIN, c-section, children, CHRISTIAN, comfort, constipation, FAITH, FAMILY, gynecology, health, IC, interstitial cystitis, Pelvic floor dysfunction, pelvic pain, PFD, prayer, SACRIFICE, support, tired, Uncategorized, urinary frequency, urinary retention, urology Tags: baby, disability, disease, doctor, faith, family, gynecology, home, housing, ic, illness, long-term disability, long-term illness, pain, pelvic floor, pelvic pain, urology

Lori Shourds 7/12/2010 Summer Writing Seminar

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Men and Woman
(A paper that I wrote for my class)

Millions of woman and men suffer from a disease unknown to many called Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. Pelvic Floor Dysfunction can affect men, as well as woman and has no prejudice in age. Your pelvic floor muscles play a large role in the functionality of everyday life including using the bathroom, walking, sitting, standing, running and even talking. Your core affects your breathing and it is very important to watch for signs of trouble and not wait around for distress. Pelvic Floor Dysfunction affects many people but, is known by few because of this it often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years.

There are many factors that contribute to the cause of PFD that includes lifestyle choices and health issues. In some cases, gender plays a role. For some men, the cause of PFD is a result of non-bacterial prostatitis, which is long-term pain and urinary symptoms that involve the prostate gland or other parts of a man’s lower urinary tract. For woman, there can be many causes of PFD including pelvic surgeries, having a complicated vaginal delivery, and unfortunately for some woman, the cause remains unknown. There are some causes of PFD that are common amongst both men and woman. These causes can include long term or chronic infections, such as urinary tract infections and pelvic inflammatory disease or chronic inflammation. Also contributing to the cause of PFD, are chronic diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, interstitial cystitis or endometriosis. Some other common factors are chronic poor posture, weak core muscles, trauma, car accident, a fall or a direct blow or fracture to the tail bone.

The effects of PFD can be widespread throughout the entire body and can affect the urinary and bowel functions, sexual functions, muscular and skeletal systems and some people can also be affected psychiatrically. Some of the ways PFD can affect the urinary and bowel functions are by causing urinary retention or frequency, pain can also be present upon voiding. You may also lose control of your bladder or bowels. In the musculoskeletal system PFD can cause one to experience pain in the lower back that can radiate down into the lower extremities. PFD has been known to trigger painful muscle spasms in various places included but not limited to the pelvic floor muscles and can reach all the way up to the diaphragm making breathing difficult. PFD can cause many structural changes and disorders in the patients that it affects, included in these changes are scoliosis, swayback, and sacral torsion. An intimate relationship can become scarce to non-existent when PFD is present because it can cause pain before and after intercourse. Aside from the physical effects PFD can cause, there are many emotional effects as well. Studies show that most people who have PFD can suffer from anxiety, depression, low self-confidence and social withdrawal.

Because Pelvic Floor Dysfunction is misdiagnosed and mistreated in so many patients, there is no real statistical data on how many people it actually affects. What we do know from the information gathered is that this disease has the potential to be debilitating at times but, it can be caught in early stages. This is only possible if knowledge is spread to people to raise awareness.

Love & Peace,

Author: Lori Shourds