Biofeedback for Pelvic Floor Muscles

Reading the Results

For women suffering from pelvic floor disorders caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles, the need to strengthen them is great, as weakened muscles often result in pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and even defecatory dysfunction. In using diagnostic treatment methods such as biofeedback for pelvic floor muscles, activity can be accurately monitored, recorded, and interpreted to provide a clearer picture about the way that the muscles can be retrained and strengthened so that the issue can be reversed.

What Feedback Are You Getting?

Special sensors feed information to a computer, which displays the gathered information and indicates the muscles being used, how they are used, and how often they are used—all of which play into a woman’s ability or inability to control bowel and bladder function as well as her body’s ability to provide proper internal support for the pelvic organs. By providing this data, a physician such as a urogynecologist will be able to direct his patient on specifically targeted pelvic floor muscles that can be performed at home and will, if done on a consistent basis, accomplish the goal of regaining lost sensitivity and control of pelvic floor muscles.

Reading Instructions

Biofeedback for pelvic floor muscles is painless and will be performed in a physician’s office. A series of four hour-long weekly sessions will be scheduled, during which two sensors monitor activity levels of the muscles. One sensor is placed externally on the abdomen, while an internal monitor is inserted in the anal canal. The sensors will then track changes in muscle activity as the patient is directed to contract and relax pelvic floor muscles, thereby providing precise readings of their ability to properly control the correct muscles.

The first session will naturally be largely a gathering of lifestyle and medical information, as it is necessary to know the frequency of bowel activity; medical history; and even lifestyle habits in recommending type and frequency of home exercises, which will often include Kegels. Depending on the patient, additional changes to diet, fluid intake, and physical exercise may also play key roles in achieving greater and more permanent results.

Be well informed about your health! Give the team at Coyle Institute a call today!