There are different layers to the muscles of the pelvic floor and depending on the type, location, and impact of nearby joints the symptoms vary. Please make sure you read my blog: Are pelvic floor exercises the same as Kegels, you will learn the anatomy of the area in detail.
Common Symptoms of Tight Pelvic Floor Muscles
Not all of the symptoms of a tight pelvic floor listed below have to be present and there may be other conditions that have similar symptoms. Read my blog, ” Tight pelvic floor muscles: the cause and the solution’, to understand what may contribute to tight pelvic floor muscles since the next step after learning about the pelvic floor muscles is to find out how to get rid of the pain and more importantly, how to never get it again!
- Pain in the lower part of the pelvis that can go away when moving around
- Painful sexual intercourse at the point of insertion or during
- Difficult, frequent, or painful urination
- Urinary incontinence
- Bloating and constipation
- Incomplete emptying of the bowels
- Difficulty passing stool
- Hip pain
- Coccyx pain
- Lower back pain
- Poor posture
What Is The Treatment for Tight Pelvic Floor Muscles?
Effective treatment for tight pelvic floor muscles has to include all of the following which are not in order of importance.
Nerve
Depending on the cause of the tightness in the pelvic floor muscles, the treatment varies. On rare occasions, it is the nerves going to the muscles of the pelvic floor, originating from the lower back that are in need of attention. Pudendal Neuralgia can cause tension in the pelvic floor muscles and I love the exercise shown in this video to help relieve some of the tension on the nerve.
Muscle
Internal Manual Therapy
Breathing
This is the foundation for all pelvic floor dysfunctions including tight pelvic floor muscles. If you think you have this down, you may be wrong. While breathing is innate to all of us, clearly you are breathing as you are reading, but with injuries, lifestyle, habits, and our history, our breathing apparatus, the barrel that we once had as babies, changes. In my practice, I find many have altered their breathing to the point that they do the exact opposite of what needs to be present with movement. Instead of breathing in to do xyz, they breathe out. At times, they hold their breath or cut themselves short when inhaling! Take a look at this video to see what proper breathing is.
It is easy to be focusing on the tight pelvic floor muscles and the limitations this may cause, but unless you get to the reason WHY it became tight, whatever treatment you have will not solve your problem. If you have been treated for pelvic floor dysfunction but still experience discomfort or limitations, contact me.
Dr. Shakib
