Alt

Pregnancy & Postnatal

Perineal Tear & Episiotomy

Is it painful to sit because of a perineal tear or episiotomy?
Are you experiencing bladder or bowel control problems?
Is sex painful or are you worried about resuming sex?

Perineal tears and episiotomy are common with vaginal birth and can contribute to pain, bladder and bowel control problems and sexual difficulties. These problems can have a huge impact on every aspect of your life including your ability to care for your baby, your social activities and your intimate life.  You might find yourself in pain with simple activities like sitting, feeling embarrassed and avoiding social outings or unable to enjoy sexual intimacy as you previously did.

Many women experience a perineal tear or episiotomy in labour but pain and bladder and bowel problems after are not normal. Even if you don’t have any of these symptoms now you’re at increased risk of developing them as you age. You don’t have to live with it or suffer or silence. In most cases these problems can be cured or better managed.  Physiotherapy can assist with a comfortable recovery and enable you to return to your normal level of activity with confidence.

Common Symptoms:

•    Painful sex
•    Perineal pain especially with sitting
•    Bladder problems such as leaking urine when you cough, sneeze or exercise
•    Leaking urine on the way to the toilet
•    Difficulty controlling wind
•    Rushing to the toilet for a bowel action
•    Poor bowel control

Possible Causes Of Perineal Tear Or Episiotomy:

•    Vaginal birth especially with forceps or vacuum
•    Birthweight over 4kg
•    First baby
•    Baby position during second stage
•    Epidural analgesia

How We Can Help:

Evidence shows that you can successfully treat these problems through a personalised pelvic health program designed and managed by a specifically trained Physiotherapist. At Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapy we specialise in providing a personalised pelvic health program exclusively for you.

What To Expect:

•    A thorough assessment to establish your goals, pelvic floor requirements and treatment plan
•    Design of a personalised pelvic floor muscle exercise program
•    Progression of your program and application to daily activities
•    Management of any soft tissue damage and scar tissue
•    Touch desensitisation and / or manual therapy techniques to relieve the perineal pain

Did You Know

Optimise Your Pelvic Health During Pregnancy & Beyond

•    At Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapy we lead the way in pelvic health ensuring you can enjoy your pregnancy and the early months with your baby to the fullest
•    We understand that back and pelvic joint pain can reduce your enjoyment at this exciting time
•    We can help your body recover from pregnancy so you can return to pleasurable activities

Get Expert Help For Your Pelvic Muscles & Joints

•    Pregnancy hormones relax your joints, ligaments and abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. Your growing baby strains and stretches these structures
•    Labour and birth and the demands of caring for your newborn can cause further physical problems
•    Research shows that pelvic floor exercises in pregnancy and postnatally prevent bladder leakage
•    The pelvic floor muscles support and control the bladder and bowel and assist sexual function and your abdominal muscles support the spine
•    At Women's & Men's Health Physiotherapy we specialise in designing a personalised pregnancy and post-natal pelvic health program exclusively for you

What Do I Do Next?

 

Alt Camberwell
8823 8300

 

Alt Send us a
Message

 

What Is Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy?

The pelvic floor muscles are at the base of the pelvis and attach from the pubic bone at the front to the tail bone at the back. They are like a hammock and support the bladder, uterus and bowel. They also help control the bladder and bowel and play a role in sexual function.

If the pelvic floor muscles are weak, they can contribute to poor bladder and bowel control and pelvic organ prolapse. If you are unable to relax your pelvic floor you may have problems with bladder and bowel emptying or sexual and pelvic pain.

Our specifically trained Physiotherapists will evaluate the function of your pelvic floor muscles and assess your ability to contract and relax these muscles. Pelvic floor muscle training under the guidance of a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist is recognised as an effective treatment for these problems.

See what's new at WMHP

Real Time Ultrasound – A Useful Tool

We’re up to date with the latest technology which includes Real Time Ultrasound. 
This is an imaging technology that shows contraction and relaxation of deep muscles in real time and allows us to give you a more accurate assessment if required.
 
Uses Of Real Time Ultrasound

•  Your Physiotherapist may make use of ultrasound as part of your pelvic floor and abdominal assessment to ensure you’re activating and relaxing your muscles correctly

•  It may be used as a teaching tool to provide you with immediate visual feedback to improve learning and performance

•  Real Time Ultrasound can be used as a bladder scanner to assess bladder emptying
 

Location

549 Burke Rd, Camberwell VIC 3124
T: 03 8823 8300
F: 03 8823 8399
E: physio@wmhp.com.au

About Us

We specialise exclusively in bladder, bowel and pelvic floor problems, pelvic pain and the discomforts of pregnancy. Since 1992 we have worked with thousands of women and men to improve their wellbeing.
 
              Alt

Women's Pelvic Health

 

Men's Pelvic Health

 

Pregnancy & Postnatal

 

Get
In Touch

CAMBERWELL
549 Burke Rd, Camberwell VIC

Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapy acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, the people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.