Overview

Pelvic Floor Disorders

Many conditions can impact the muscles, joints, nerves and connective tissues in the pelvis. This is called pelvic floor dysfunction and it is treatable. These conditions can result in pelvic pain and impact your ability to urinate or have a bowel movement, or to control when your body does these things.

Women oftentimes experience new, bothersome pelvic floor symptoms during their pregnancy or after their delivery. In fact, one in three women develops symptoms of urinary incontinence during pregnancy or after delivery. Urinary incontinence, or the inability to control your bladder, is a common condition that affects women twice as often as men.

The three main types of pelvic floor disorders are:

You may have a pelvic floor disorder if you experience the following symptoms:

  • A severe tear or laceration that affects the anal sphincter (otherwise known as a third or fourth degree tear)
  • Infection or breakdown of a tear
  • Anal incontinence or accidental bowel leakage (involuntary loss of gas and/or stool)
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Urinary urgency and frequency
  • Urinary retention
  • Pelvic pain
  • Pain with intercourse
  • Fistulas
  • Sexual dysfunction