So many times, I am talking to someone and we will so often somehow get on the conversation of pelvic floor dysfunction. To this day, it still surprises me how many people, especially women, believe that many of the issues they suffer from are absolutely normal after giving birth. Mainly, the topic of discussion is leaking. “Oh, I can’t jump on the trampoline anymore” or “I know where every bathroom is when I run errands”. Ladies, I am here to scream from the mountain tops that these things are common, but THEY ARE NOT NORMAL!!
What is pelvic floor dysfunction then? Nicole Cozean, a world renowned pelvic floor therapist out of California has done an amazing job putting together a research backed compilation of questions that serve as a guideline for determining if someone is truly suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction. Listed below are ten questions, if you answer YES to three or more, it is very likely you are experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction.
Pelvic Dysfunction Screening Tool
1. I sometimes experience one or more of the following urinary symptoms.
- I sometimes experience one or more of the following urinary symptoms
- Accidental loss of urine
- Feeling unable to completely empty my bladder
- Having to void within a few minutes of a previous void
- Pain or burning with urination
- Difficulty starting or frequent stopping/starting of urine stream
2. I sometimes have pelvic pain (in genitals, perineum, pubic or bladder area, or pain with urination) that exceeds a ‘3’ on a 1-10 pain scale, with 10 being the worst pain imaginable.
3. I sometimes experience one or more of the following bowel symptoms.
- Loss of bowel control
- Feeling unable to completely empty my bowels
- Straining or pain with a bowel movement
- Difficulty initiating a bowel movement
4. I can remember falling onto my tailbone, lower back, or buttocks (even in childhood).
5. I often or occasionally have to get up to urinate two or more times at night.
6. I sometimes have a feeling of increased pelvic pressure or the sensation of my pelvic organs slipping down or falling out.
7. I have a history of pain in my low back, hip, groin, or tailbone or have had sciatica.
8. I sometimes experience pain or discomfort with sexual activity or intercourse.
9. Sexual activity increases one or more of my other symptoms.
10. Prolonged sitting increases my symptoms.
What was your score? As said before, if you are able to check three or more, there is a very high likelihood that you have pelvic floor dysfunction and will benefit from an assessment from a pelvic floor therapist.
Curious on what pelvic floor therapy is? Click here to read about it!