Interstitial Cystitis And Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Interstitial cystitis ic and pelvic floor dysfunction pfd have a lot in common.
Interstitial cystitis and pelvic floor dysfunction. Research has demonstrated that at least 85 of patients with interstitial cystitis also have pelvic floor dysfunction. Pain from the bladder can cause pain in the pelvic floor muscles and then loss of muscle relaxation and strength which is pelvic floor dysfunction. In fact experts in the field now believe the bladder to be an innocent bystander in many cases of ic.
Many patients with ic have concomitant pelvic floor muscle tenderness and spasm known as high tone pelvic floor dysfunction. Learn about the muscle groups here. If you have ic and a poor urine stream feel the need to push or bear down to urinate and have painful intercourse you may have pfd.
Both affect the organs within the pelvic floor. Interstitial cystitis is a chronic bladder condition that causes pain in your pelvis or bladder. Pelvic floor dysfunction one of the biggest myths of interstitial cystitis is that it is exclusively a bladder condition.
People with interstitial cystitis often have painful spasms of the pelvic floor muscles. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation tens. Fewer than 10 of patients have confirmed damage to the lining of the bladder known as hunner s lesions.
Many people with interstitial cystitis ic have problems with the group of muscles in the lower pelvic area and develop a condition called pelvic floor dysfunction pfd. Twenty years ago ic treatment focused on repairing a damaged bladder wall. In fact many of the symptoms of ic can only be explained by the pelvic floor.
So having one of these conditions increases your risk of having the other. In 2017 we now understand that many of the urinary symptoms that ic and chronic prostatitis patients experience may originate from and or be exacerbated by dysfunctional pelvic floor muscles and or nerves. Physical therapists can teach exercises to both strengthen and relax your pelvic floor muscles.