Pelvic Floor Center

Are you silently coping with pelvic floor disorder symptoms such as urinary incontinence, abnormal uterine bleeding or pelvic pain? If so, it's time to stop dealing with your symptoms and start talking about them with your doctor.

Many women living with these issues don’t seek help because they are self-conscious to talk about their symptoms. They think they're just a normal part of aging or assume their problem can’t be corrected. But you are not alone. Disruptive or embarrassing pelvic floor disorder symptoms occur in 30% of all women at some time in their life.

If you have or suspect you may have a pelvic floor disorder, there's world-class care close to home at The Christ Hospital Pelvic Floor Center—one of only a few centers of its kind in the U.S. Specialists here offer a unique, multidisciplinary approach to help you get back to the pursuits that matter most to you. The doctors you'll find at The Christ Hospital Pelvic Floor Center are urogynecologists, who specialize in caring for women with pelvic floor disorders.

Pelvic floor disorders

The pelvic floor encompasses the muscles, ligaments, connective tissues and nerves that support the organs of the pelvis—the bladder, rectum, uterus and vagina for women. The structure of the pelvis prevents these organs from falling down or out, and plays a role in ensuring they function correctly, such as closing the urethra and anal canal to maintain continence.

There are five categories of pelvic floor disorders:

Bladder dysfunction—such as urinary incontinence
Bowel dysfunction—such as bowel incontinence
Pelvic organ prolapse
Pelvic pain
Female sexual dysfunction

Pelvic floor disorder causes and risk factors

Several factors contribute to the causes and risk factors of pelvic floor disorders. Women who have vaginally delivered children and are lacking estrogen due to menopause are most likely to develop a pelvic floor condition.

Other contributing factors include:

Aging
Being overweight
Chronic coughing
Frequently straining during bowel movements
Heavy lifting
Medical conditions or injuries that impact nerve health (such as diabetes, back surgery or spinal stenosis)
Radiation or surgery for uterine, cervical or rectal cancer

Risk factors include:

Being a woman who is post-menopausal, has vaginally delivered several children, and/or has experienced tears in the perineum or pelvic floor during childbirth
Being age 55+
Being overweight
Having a connective tissue disorder
Having past pelvic surgery

Pelvic floor disorders diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis at The Christ Hospital Pelvic Floor Center begins with a complete physical exam, usually followed by tests to determine the best treatment option. Our care team understands that discussing your symptoms can make you uncomfortable and we'll do all we can to put you at ease. Tests may include a pelvic exam or assessments of bladder and bowel function.

Treatment may include or be a combination of:

Lifestyle changes—losing weight, restriction on heavy lifting and other activities to lessen pressure on your organs
Nutritional counseling—learning to avoid foods that may worsen your symptoms or to add more fiber to your diet
Pelvic floor therapy and biofeedback—learning exercises to strengthen and relax pelvic muscles to decrease pain and improve bladder and bowel function
Medications—prescriptions are available to treat a number of disorders, including overactive bladder, urogenital atrophy and certain pain syndromes
Pessaries—small medical devices inserted into the uterus, vagina, bladder or rectum for support
Surgery—if your symptoms persist, many types of surgeries can be performed using minimally invasive incisions that result in less pain, less scarring and shorter recovery time

Pelvic floor disorder symptom questionnaire

If you think you may have a pelvic floor disorder, take our confidential pelvic floor disorder symptom questionnaire.

Our Nurse Navigator will contact you to discuss your treatment options. Your submission will be sent over a secure system and kept completely confidential. You can also contact our ezCare Concierge nurse navigator, a free, confidential service designed to help you navigate the best next steps for you and your health.

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