Many people experience problems and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction related to urological (bladder), colorectal (bowel), gynaecological or dermatological (skin) conditions.

© Sherborne Gibbs Ltd 2013. First published in Primary Care Women's Health Journal. For more information visit www.womenshealthj.com.

Bladder & Bowel Foundation (www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org)

Pelvic floor physiotherapy has been shown to be beneficial for a range of conditions such as:

• stress or urgency urinary incontinence (involuntary loss of urine)
• pelvic organ prolapse (a feeling of heaviness, pressure or bulging in the vagina)
• anal incontinence (loss of stool or wind)
• rectal prolapse
• constipation
• pain (e.g. vulvodynia, vaginismus, sexual dysfunction)

People can be particularly vulnerable to pelvic floor related problems for different reasons, e.g.:

• pregnancy
• post-natally
• peri and post menopause
• old age
• surgery
• prostate cancer

Physiofit physiotherapist, Jacqui Millington, specialises in the treatment of pelvic floor problems. Assessment involves questions about medical history, background to the problem, current symptoms, and normally a physical examination (with your consent). Goals and appropriate treatment would be discussed and agreed, and might include specific and holistic advice, appropriate exercise, and additional therapies such as biofeedback and nerve stimulation.