No one wants to experience bladder or bowel incontinence, rushing to the toilet or difficulties emptying, prolapse, pelvic pain or pain with sex. Unfortunately, these issues are common across all genders and substantially impact physical, emotional, social and financial health and wellbeing. There is often associated stigma, leading to people suffering in silence, thinking it is normal or that nothing can be done to help.
Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) can be defined as a collection of symptoms and signs associated with a decrease in oestrogen and other sex steroids involving changes to the labia majora/minora, clitoris, vestibule/introitus, vagina, urethra and bladder.
Every day, we speak with people who seek our support regarding painful sex. Often their stories include fear, confusion and a poor understanding of the vulva, clitoris and vagina. Many people hold unhelpful beliefs and perceptions of what is and isn’t normal.
As Pelvic Health Physiotherapists, part of our role is to educate, enlighten and empower individuals to develop a healthier perspective about their genitals and guide them toward safe, comfortable and pleasurable experiences with their body. Here we explore relatively recent discoveries regarding the clitoris and the relevance to those we see with pelvic health concerns.
Waking overnight to urinate, also known as nocturia, can be annoying and frustrating, resulting in you feeling tired and unrefreshed. Many people assume urinating overnight is a normal part of ageing, but this isn’t necessarily true. Nocturia may be a sign of other underlying health problems.
Trauma, neglect and attachment disorders are common and create behavioural, physiological and cognitive adaptations that impact daily function and health via the effects on the neurological, endocrine and immune systems. The experience of trauma can result in loss of trust, feelings of guilt and shame, a decreased sense of safety and loss of hope for the future. These changes can affect the way people approach potentially helpful relationships and make it harder for them to engage with health care practitioners.
As pelvic health physiotherapists treating people with sexual pain and supporting them to improve their sexual health, we are often asked what lubricants we use for examinations and what we recommend for personal use. We thought that maybe you might be asked the same thing by your patients – and so decided to research lubricants. Here we share what we discovered and wrote for our patients in their quarterly newsletter.
As pelvic health physiotherapists treating people with sexual pain and supporting them to improve their sexual health, we are often asked what lubricants we use for examinations and what we recommend for personal use.
It may appear a little strange to write a blog about breathing, when it is something that we do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and have been doing so consciously and subconsciously since we were born! However, just because breathing is automatic, it doesn’t mean that we do it effectively! Many people hold their breath without realising, they breathe into their upper chest only, or they don’t breathe in and out all the way. Being more aware of your breath and optimising the way you breathe can have a profound impact not only on your pelvic health, but your health in general.
Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapy (WMHP) exists to restore pelvic health, empowering every person to live their best life. This is our cause, our belief and what we stand for. As the physiotherapists treating, guiding and supporting you to restore your pelvic health, it is vital that we are all clear on what you would like to achieve as we embark on your journey to pelvic health.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in Australia. Receiving this diagnosis can be a difficult experience for men and their families. There is often emotional and psychological distress faced throughout the cancer journey.
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