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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the pelvic floor?

Gynecare
The pelvic floor is a "sling" of muscles which support the abdominal organs, including the uterus, urinary bladder the urethra, and the rectum. It normally tightens to help control the release of urine from the bladder, but can become weakened through childbirth or obesity, or become thinner through lowering of estrogen levels after menopause. This weakening is often associated with stress incontinence.
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USC Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disorders
The "pelvic floor" refers to the pelvic diaphragm, the sphincter mechanism of the lower urinary tract, the upper and lower vaginal supports, and the internal and external anal sphincters. It is a network of muscles, ligaments and other tissues that hold up the pelvic organs (vagina, rectum, uterus and bladder). Leakage of feces and/or urine due to exercise, laughter or a sneeze, may be indicative of either a colorectal disorder or a pelvic floor disorder.
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How do I locate the pelvic floor muscles?

Incontinent Solutions Frequently Asked Questions
The pelvic floor muscles connect several organs in the lower part of the body. Organs like the bladder "rest" on the pelvic floor muscles. To ensure the vitality and the right placement of these organs it is important the pelvic floor muscles are in good shape.
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How do I tighten my pelvic floor muscles?

Incontinent Solutions Frequently Asked Questions
It is impossible for you to "see" the pelvic floor muscles. But with this exercise you will consciously learn to feel and tighten your pelvic floor muscles. Please lay down on your back with your knees lifted up, your legs lightly spread (see picture 1 or 2). Try with squeezing your rectal muscles. Try to move this "squeeze and lift" feeling to your pelvic floor muscles. You will feel the muscle lifting up inside your body (as if you were trying to stop urinating).
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What is a Pelvic Floor workout or exercise?

Urinary solutions for the bladder
Exercising the pelvic floor can help regain control of the bladder for those that have properly functioning muscles. For some, bladder control is lost due to weak muscles that hold the bladder. Daily exercise of the two major muscles in the pelvic area can improve bladder control. Check with your doctor, nurse or physical therapist to help make sure you are doing the exercise the right way.
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What is the difference between a pelvic floor disorder and a colorectal disorder?

USC Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Disorders
Pelvic floor disorders may include bowel problems. However, some patients will have weakness of areas of the pelvic floor that only cause bladder or vaginal problems.
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What is “Retraining” the Pelvic Floor?

MPT Maximum Pelvic Trainer for Pelvic Floor Muscles Exercise
an athlete progresses in his training, both his strength and skill increase. The same is true for the pelvic floor. When you first begin using the MPT, performing a proper contraction will require focused attention. However, after only a few sessions, you will notice that the process becomes more natural. You will not have to “think” about it as much, and soon the exercise will become almost effortless. At that point, you have “retrained” the muscles.
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Q) How do I know that I am doing a correct pelvic floor muscle contraction when using the educator?

FAQ Pelvic Floor Educator
A) When the educator body has been inserted into the vagina, squeeze and lift the pelvic floor muscles as though trying to stop yourself mid-stream urine flow, and as if trying to stop yourself passing wind. The indicator stick should move downwards if you are correctly contracting the pelvic floor muscles.
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What is The Myself Pelvic Floor Exerciser And Pelvic Trainer?

The Myself Pelvic Floor Exerciser And Pelvic Trainer Frequen...
The Myself Pelvic Floor Exerciser And Pelvic Trainer was designed by a urologist to make performing kegel exercises easier and more effective. Formerly available only by prescription, The Myself Pelvic Floor Exerciser And Pelvic Trainer is now FDA-cleared for over-the-counter use. Myself consists of a handheld monitor connected by an air line to a vaginal balloon sensor. When you perform a kegel, Myself helps you do it correctly by displaying your squeezing action on its LCD screen.
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What is pelvic floor rehabilitation?

SunshineTherapyCenter
Involuntary loss of urine or feces due to weakened pelvic floor musculature can often be corrected or improved with pelvic floor rehabilitation. Urinary incontinence requiring pelvic floor rehabilitation is usually diagnosed as stress, urge or mixed.
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Q Once my pelvic floor muscles are stronger, is there a maintenance routine I should follow?

Buy Aquaflex Cones StressNoMore for Women
ATo make sure you maintain the strength of your pelvic floor muscles it's a good idea to continue to use Aquaflex just once or twice a week. After every period, you could check whether you are still able to hold the cone in place at the heaviest weight you could previously manage. If you can't, it's time to exercise with Aquaflex again, to get your muscles back to their full strength.
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What are pelvic floor problems?

Sexual & Reproductive Health: Frequently Asked Questions...
Pelvic floor problems include: leaking urine, leaking gas or, more rarely, feces, sexual dissatisfaction, and a sagging of the inner organs. It is important for every woman to understand what she can do to keep her pelvic floor strong and protect it from injury. Pelvic floor exercises known as Kegels are exercises that were developed for women to help tighten vaginal muscles and increase feeling during intercourse, particularly following childbirth.
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HOW DO PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES HELP ?

FAQ'S - Urology Question
The urinary sphincter, with the help of surrounding pelvic floor muscles, controls release of urine from the bladder. Pelvic floor exercises strengthen these muscles, which help to prevent or reduce incontinence.
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What is pelvic prolapse?

Gynecare
When the muscles of the pelvic floor are damaged or become weak, usually because of childbirth, they are sometimes unable to support the weight of some or all of the pelvic organs. When this happens, one or more of the organs may drop below their normal positions within the abdomen, causing mild to severe symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to significant pain.
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How Does The Myself Pelvic Floor Exerciser And Pelvic Trainer Work?

The Myself Pelvic Floor Exerciser And Pelvic Trainer Frequen...
The Myself Pelvic Floor Exerciser And Pelvic Trainer uses biofeedback to help women perform doctor-recommended kegel exercises safely and effectively. Kegel exercises involve a lifting and squeezing action of the muscles that surround the lower part of the vagina. Myself's vaginal balloon sensor provides resistance to the squeezing of your muscles and measures the force of your contraction. The Myself trainer displays your contraction graphically, showing you exactly how you're doing.
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Have you found exercise of the pelvic floor muscle to be of any real value with uterine prolapse?

Answers to FAQs and Articles about Prolapse and Pelvic Relax...
In general, no. But if a woman is very motivated, premenopausal and performs Kegel exercises for 6 months (it takes that long to show a difference), it can help quite a bit if the prolapse is not very severe. By "not severe", I mean if you put your index finger in the vagina and up to the knuckle joint (2nd crease on your finger) before you feel the cervix (feels like the end of your nose), then the grade of uterine prolapse is probably 2 or less the way doctors measure.
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So why are pelvic floor exercises helpful in increasing sexual pleasure?

Neen Pelvic Health: FAQ's
The pelvic floor muscles are directly responsible for the amount of sensation you feel during intercourse, and for the amount of grip felt by your partner. So although an exercise regime for the pelvic floor muscle has the same physiological benefits as exercising any other muscle, the spin-offs are much better. Exercise improves muscle tone which means that the muscle is tighter, so is stretched more by an erect penis.
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What causes pelvic prolapse?

Gynecare
Pelvic prolapse is caused by weakening of the normal supporting structures around the vagina, bladder, and uterus (pelvic muscles). These structures (ligaments, muscles, and normally strong tissue called fascia) may become weaker with age, change in hormone levels, previous vaginal deliveries, or previous pelvic surgery.
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What are the symptoms of pelvic prolapse?

Gynecare
The most common symptoms of pelvic prolapse is a feeling that 'something is out of place' in the vagina, that you are 'sitting on a beach ball', and that it is difficult to urinate unless the bulge is 'pushed back inside'. The symptoms depend on which type of prolapse you have. Since prolapse usually occurs slowly over time, the symptoms can be hard to recognize. Loss of bladder control may also be present, often with a feeling that the bladder does not empty well.
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What treatments are available for pelvic prolapse?

Gynecare
There have been very significant advances in the treatment of pelvic prolapse, with more effective surgical techniques being recently developed. Current effective techniques can often be performed entirely through the vagina without and abdominal incision.
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What are Kegel, or pelvic muscle, exercises?

FAQ | NAFC.org
Pelvic muscle exercises, also called Kegel or pelvic floor exercises, have been shown to improve mild to moderate urge and stress incontinence. When performed correctly, these exercises help to strengthen the muscles at your bladder outlet. Through regular exercise you can build strength and endurance to help improve, regain, or maintain bladder and bowel control. Imagine that you need to hold back gas.
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What are pelvic adhesions?

Gynecare
the name implies, adhesions are fibrous bands of scar tissue (that can form after surgery, infection or other trauma) that adhere or bind together organs or tissue that are normally separate. Adhesions are common and can potentially lead to serious complications. Adhesions that form after surgery in the pelvic area are often the cause of post-operative pelvic pain, small bowel obstruction, and infertility.
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What is pelvic reconstruction?

Bard Urological
Pelvic Reconstruction is a surgical procedure to repair prolapse and relieve its symptoms. It's often performed vaginally, and it involves the use of an implant to reinforce the strength of your weakened tissues. It's a safe and effective procedure, and is highly successful in correcting the problems associated with prolapse, and in helping restore a better quality of life.
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What is pelvic organ prolapse?

Frequently Asked Questions - Westchester Urological Associat...
When the supporting tissues of the bladder, uterus and rectum become weakened by childbirth, aging and/or previous pelvic surgery, these organs can herniate producing a vaginal bulge. There are various degrees of prolapse from mild (Stage 1) to severe (Stage 4). Sometimes, but not always, prolpase is accompanied by urine leakage. Many people will experience pelvic pressure, difficulty urinating, frequent urinary infections and discomfort.
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Are adhesions common following abdominal and pelvic surgery?

Seprafilm? | Information on Endometriosis, Myomectomy, Hyste...
Adhesions are very common following open abdominal and pelvic surgery.1,2 The type of surgery and other factors such as the length of surgery, associated illness, and other treatments, may influence the body’s reaction to tissue injury. Gynecologic surgeries that could lead to adhesions include, but are not limited to, myomectomy, hysterectomy, treatment for endometriosis, adhesiolysis, cesarean section, and operations on the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
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