Pelvic floor dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction
SpecialtyObstetrics and gynaecology

Urology

Physical therapy
The perineum muscles play roles in urination in both sexes, ejaculation in men, and vaginal contraction in women.[1]

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a term used for a variety of disorders that occur when pelvic floor muscles and ligaments are impaired. The condition affects up to 50 percent of women who have given birth.[2] Although this condition predominantly affects women, up to 16 percent of men are affected as well.[3] Symptoms can include pelvic pain, pressure, pain during sex, urinary incontinence (UI), overactive bladder, bowel incontinence, incomplete emptying of feces, constipation, myofascial pelvic pain and pelvic organ prolapse.[4][5] When pelvic organ prolapse occurs, there may be visible organ protrusion or a lump felt in the vagina or anus.[5][6] Research carried out in the UK has shown that symptoms can restrict everyday life for women. However, many people found it difficult to talk about it and to seek care, as they experienced embarrassment and stigma. [7][8]

Common treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction are surgery, medication, physical therapy and lifestyle modifications.[2]

The term "pelvic floor dysfunction" has been criticized since it does not represent a particular pelvic floor disorder.[9] It has therefore been recommended that the term not be used in medical literature without additional clarification.[9]

  1. ^ "11.4 Axial Muscles of the Abdominal Wall, and Thorax - Anatomy and Physiology | OpenStax". openstax.org. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
  2. ^ a b Hagen S, Stark D (December 2011). "Conservative prevention and management of pelvic organ prolapse in women". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 12 (12): CD003882. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003882.pub4. PMID 22161382.
  3. ^ Smith CP (2016). "Male chronic pelvic pain: An update". Indian Journal of Urology. 32 (1): 34–9. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.173105. PMC 4756547. PMID 26941492.
  4. ^ Hong MK, Ding DC (2019-10-01). "Current Treatments for Female Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions". Gynecology and Minimally Invasive Therapy. 8 (4): 143–148. doi:10.4103/GMIT.GMIT_7_19. PMC 6849106. PMID 31741838.
  5. ^ a b McNevin MS (February 2010). "Overview of pelvic floor disorders". The Surgical Clinics of North America. 90 (1): 195–205, Table of Contents. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2009.10.003. PMID 20109643.
  6. ^ Boyadzhyan L, Raman SS, Raz S (2008). "Role of static and dynamic MR imaging in surgical pelvic floor dysfunction". Radiographics. 28 (4): 949–67. doi:10.1148/rg.284075139. PMID 18635623.
  7. ^ Toye, F (2023). "Exploring the experiences of people with urogynaecology conditions in the UK: a reflexive thematic analysis and conceptual model". BMC Women's Health. 23 (1): 431. doi:10.1186/s12905-023-02592-w. PMC 10426194. PMID 37580761.
  8. ^ "Pelvic floor and bladder problems can make people feel embarrassed, and have an impact on everyday life". NIHR Evidence. 2023. doi:10.3310/nihrevidence_61000.
  9. ^ a b Bordeianou, LG; Carmichael, JC; Paquette, IM; Wexner, S; Hull, TL; Bernstein, M; Keller, DS; Zutshi, M; Varma, MG; Gurland, BH; Steele, SR (April 2018). "Consensus Statement of Definitions for Anorectal Physiology Testing and Pelvic Floor Terminology (Revised)". Diseases of the Colon and Rectum. 61 (4): 421–427. doi:10.1097/DCR.0000000000001070. PMID 29521821.