Pelvic Pain Diagnoses for men & women
Pelvic floor muscular dysfunction presents itself in two ways:
HYPertonic
Characterized by:
overactivity and spasm.
Hypotonic
Characterized by:
laxity and weakness.
Let’s Break It Down
Common signs and symptoms of a hypertonic pelvic floor:
Achy pelvic discomfort or pressure
Dyspareunia (pain during or after intercourse)
Vaginal, perineal or rectal pain (sharp, burning, throbbing, or radiating)
Pain in the abdomen, lower back, coccyx, suprapubic area, or hips
Urinary hesitancy or retention
Painful urination
Urinary urgency/frequency
Pain with prolonged sitting (coccyx pain or seat bone pain)
Inability to use tampons
Pain with annual pelvic examination
A hypertonic pelvic floor is also known as pelvic floor tension myalgia or pelvic floor muscle spasm.
When a hypertonic pelvic floor is present, patients typically present with various pain syndromes such as Interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, vulvar vestibulitis (vestibulodynia), coccydynia, painful intercourse (dyspareunia) and pudendal neuropathy. These diagnoses are among the many pain syndromes routinely treated in our practice. While each of these conditions is very different in terms of presentation, the common denominator that exists between them is muscular hypertonicity of the pelvic floor.
Common signs of a hypotonic pelvic floor:
Stress urinary incontinence
Urge urinary incontinence
Mixed urinary incontinence
Fecal incontinence
Gas incontinence
Pelvic organ prolapse - bladder
Pelvic organ prolapse - uterine
Pelvic organ prolapse - rectal
Treatments for these conditions are very different than those for a hypertonic pelvic floor, as weakness and laxity are often hallmark characteristics.
Strengthening of the deep core and the pelvic floor is the foundation of treatment for pelvic floor laxity. Each patient’s individualized plan of care is established only after a thorough evaluation by one of our pelvic floor PT specialists is completed.
Specific Diagnoses We Treat
Click each diagnosis below to learn more
Pelvic Pain and Sexual Pain Conditions:
Pelvic floor tension myalgia/pelvic floor muscle spasm
Levator Ani syndrome
Musculoskeletal Dysfunction:
Lumbosacral strain
Fibromyalgia
Sciatica pain
Low back, hip, groin, and pelvic problems that haven’t responded to previous physical therapy
Bladder Dysfunction:
Voiding difficulties or urinary retention
Urinary urgency and frequency
Bowel Dysfunction:
Irritable bowel syndrome
Post Surgical Dysfunction:
Adhesions and scar tissue formation after plastic, gynecologic, urologic, intestinal, or cancer-related surgeries
