Pelvic Pain Physical Therapy

Pelvic pain can affect your ability to sit, exercise, work, sleep, have sex, use the bathroom, or simply enjoy your everyday life. Pelvic pain is not something you have to “just live with.”

At Core Pelvic Health & Wellness, I provide individualized pelvic health physical therapy to identify the factors contributing to your pain and help you move toward lasting relief and improved function.

What is pelvic pain?

Pelvic pain is pain or discomfort felt anywhere in the lower abdomen, pelvis, hips, groin, tailbone, pelvic floor, or genital region. It may be constant or intermittent, mild or severe, and can affect women, men, and children.

Pelvic pain can have many contributing factors. Muscles, nerves, joints, connective tissue, organs, breathing patterns, posture, movement, stress, and previous injuries or surgeries may all play a role.

What can pelvic pain feel like?

  • Aching, pressure, heaviness, or throbbing

  • Sharp, stabbing, or burning pain

  • Pelvic or abdominal pain

  • Pain with sitting

  • Tailbone pain

  • Hip or groin pain

  • Pain with exercise or physical activity

  • Pain with urination

  • Pain with bowel movements

  • Pain with sexual activity or penetration

  • Pain during or after orgasm

  • Pain associated with menstruation

  • Pain during pregnancy or postpartum

  • Pain following surgery or injury

Pelvic pain can sometimes occur without an obvious injury or identifiable cause. A physical therapy evaluation can help identify musculoskeletal and movement-related factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.

Conditions associated with pelvic pain

Women

  • Endometriosis

  • Vulvodynia

  • Vestibulodynia

  • Vaginismus/genito-pelvic pain

  • Dyspareunia

  • Pelvic floor muscle overactivity

  • Painful menstruation

  • Pelvic pain during pregnancy

  • Postpartum pelvic pain

  • Pelvic pain following gynecologic surgery

Men

  • Chronic pelvic pain syndrome

  • Prostatitis/chronic prostatitis

  • Painful ejaculation

  • Testicular or scrotal pain

  • Penile pain

  • Pelvic pain associated with urinary symptoms

  • Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction

All patients

  • Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction

  • Coccyx/tailbone pain

  • Pudendal neuralgia

  • Abdominal or pelvic surgical pain

  • Hip or low-back conditions contributing to pelvic pain

  • Scar-related pain

  • Pain associated with bowel or bladder dysfunction

Why does pelvic pain happen?

Pelvic pain is often multifactorial.

There is not always one single cause of pelvic pain. Sometimes the pelvic floor muscles become tight or overactive in response to pain, injury, surgery, inflammation, stress, or another condition. Over time, this can contribute to additional pain and changes in movement.

Pelvic pain may also be influenced by the hips, low back, abdomen, breathing patterns, posture, nerves, connective tissue, or the way you move.

Pain → Muscle guarding → Changes in movement → More pain

How can pelvic floor physical therapy help?

Potential treatments might include:

  • Education about your symptoms and pelvic anatomy

  • Breathing and relaxation strategies

  • Pelvic floor muscle coordination

  • Manual therapy

  • Soft tissue and connective tissue techniques

  • Mobility and flexibility exercises

  • Hip and core strengthening

  • Postural and movement assessment

  • Nerve mobility techniques when appropriate

  • Scar tissue treatment

  • Exercise modification

  • Bladder and bowel strategies

  • Home exercises and self-management strategies

What happens during your evaluation?

1. Conversation

We begin by talking about your symptoms, medical history, daily activities, goals, and what you are experiencing.

2. Movement assessment

Depending on your symptoms, I may assess your posture, breathing, spine, hips, abdomen, and movement patterns.

3. Pelvic floor assessment

A pelvic floor examination may be recommended depending on your symptoms and goals. This will always be discussed with you beforehand, and you are in control of what you are comfortable with.

4. Individualized treatment plan

We will discuss what I find, answer your questions, and develop a treatment plan based on your goals.

When should I see a pelvic floor physical therapist?

Consider pelvic health physical therapy if pelvic pain is affecting your ability to work, exercise, sleep, sit comfortably, use the bathroom, participate in activities you enjoy, or engage in sexual activity.

You do not need to wait until your symptoms become severe to seek help.

You don't have to live with pelvic pain.

Understanding why you are experiencing pain is an important first step toward improving it. At Core Pelvic Health & Wellness, I will work with you to understand your symptoms, identify contributing factors, and develop a treatment plan designed around your goals.

Schedule Now!