Men's Pelvic Health
Relax Therapy offers compassionate and comprehensive evaluations and individualized treatment for male patients in Seattle, Washington.
Men's Pelvic Health, in Seattle
Treating male pelvic health and pain is about integrating multifaceted techniques to help men recover from pelvic pain or sexual health concerns. Pelvic floor physical therapy, or PFPT, is one such approach that helps men in Seattle with pelvic pain and other issues.
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy (PFPT) involves a thorough assessment of the pelvic musculature, deep breath and relaxation techniques, myofascial release, internal and external manual therapy, joint mobilizations, and neuromuscular re-education. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy helps men address a variety of conditions, including pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, bowel dysfunction, post-surgical care, and sexual health concerns. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists use careful examination, diagnosis, and treatment techniques to help men improve their overall quality of life.
Relax Therapy offers compassionate and comprehensive evaluations and individualized treatment for male patients relating to the following:
- Urinary incontinence
- Post-void dribble
- Fecal Incontinence
- General pelvic pain
- Sexual function
- Post-surgical complications
- Post-prostatectomy
- Non-bacterial chronic prostatitis
- Pudendal neuralgia
What to Expect During a Pelvic Floor Evaluation.
During your evaluation with your Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, an internal pelvic evaluation may be indicated. For men, this is done via the rectum—usually on the second visit. Sometimes, patients are referred for significant pain. Internal pelvic floor evaluations may be difficult for some men. However, this does not mean that everyone will have a problem with them, and your Physical Therapist should always explain the procedure in detail, only proceeding with your consent.
All internal assessments will take place in a private room. Here you will have an opportunity to ask any questions before starting. Your Physical Therapist may use a model of the pelvis and pelvic floor muscles to help describe how the internal assessment will take place. Your Physical Therapist will then leave the exam room so you can remove your clothing from the waist down, cover yourself with a provided sheet, and lay on the examination table. During the exam, you will have the choice of using a mirror or observing a pelvic model to follow along with the examination if you prefer.
Your Physical Therapist will start with an external examination of the pelvic and anal regions. They will palpate externally for skeletal regions and pelvic floor muscles, looking for tightness and mapping out your area of pain and discomfort. Your Physical Therapist will then go over the “pelvic clock” to reference which areas they will be assessing during the internal and external examination.
During the exam, your Physical Therapist will visually observe the perineum and surrounding regions, have you contract your pelvic floor muscles, relax these muscles, and have you push out to assess your coordination and strength. The internal evaluation will then move forward depending on your pain tolerance to any external examination.
The internal evaluation is typically not as uncomfortable as many expect it to be. Your Physical Therapist will palpate the pelvic floor muscles internally using a finger and assess the length, tension, and ability to contract or relax, as well as map out pain internally. We will also evaluate the strength of your pelvic floor muscles. Once the internal evaluation is completed, your Physical Therapist will step out of the examination room and allow you to dress and use the restroom if desired. We will then discuss the assessment and how physical therapy might help you.
We will discuss your goals for pelvic floor therapy and will give you information on specific interventions used, session durations, and answer any questions you have. Your Physical Therapist may give you exercises and relaxation techniques tailored to your assessment.
It is important to understand that you are in charge of your evaluation. You have the choice to proceed or terminate at any time. A Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist sees men, women, and children with pelvic-health-related complaints. My goal is to provide you with a safe and comfortable environment to seek treatment for these sensitive issues.
If you’re a man living in Seattle who is experiencing pelvic pain or other symptoms associated with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy can provide relief and improved quality of life. Talk to one of our Pelvic Physical Therapists today for more information about how Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy can help you.