Bowel Incontinence — Understanding and Managing Accidental Bowel Leaks

Bowel incontinence (also known as fecal incontinence) is the inability to control bowel movements, leading to accidental leakage. This condition can vary from occasional leakage of stool to a complete loss of control over bowel movements.

It’s more common than many people realize, and it can affect your quality of life, causing embarrassment, anxiety, and avoidance of activities. But with the right treatment and support, bowel incontinence can be managed.

Common Symptoms:

• Uncontrollable leakage of stool, ranging from small amounts to larger amounts

• Urgency — the sudden, strong feeling that you need to have a bowel movement

• Inability to hold stool long enough to get to the bathroom

• Soiling (involuntary leakage of gas or stool)

• Frequent need to use the restroom, or difficulty fully emptying the bowels

Causes of Bowel Incontinence:

Bowel incontinence can occur for a variety of reasons, including:

• Weakness or damage to the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bowel and help maintain control

• Nerve damage (due to surgery, childbirth, or trauma) affecting the signals from the brain to the rectum

• Chronic constipation, leading to the rectum becoming overstretched and less able to hold stool

• Pelvic organ prolapse, where organs like the uterus or bladder push down on the rectum, affecting function

• Diarrhea or loose stools, which can overwhelm the body’s ability to control bowel movements

• Aging, which can weaken muscles and decrease nerve sensitivity

How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help:

Pelvic floor physical therapy is one of the most effective treatments for bowel incontinence. Here’s how it can help:

• Strengthening pelvic floor muscles: Focused exercises help improve the muscles that control bowel movements.

• Improving muscle coordination: We help you retrain your pelvic muscles to work efficiently for better control.

• Biofeedback therapy: This non-invasive technique can help you understand how your muscles are working and teach you to control them.

• Addressing constipation or diarrhea: We provide guidance on bowel habits and strategies to improve stool consistency and regularity.

• Improving posture and breathing: Proper posture and abdominal breathing techniques can help reduce pressure on the bowel and improve control.

Living Confidently with Bowel Incontinence

If bowel incontinence is affecting your life, there is hope. With the right strategies and support, you can regain control, improve your quality of life, and feel confident again. Pelvic floor therapy is a vital part of the recovery process, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Bowel Urgency and Frequency — Understanding and Managing Your Digestive Health

Bowel urgency and frequency refer to the sudden, overwhelming need to have a bowel movement and the increased frequency of bowel movements, respectively. While occasional urgency or a few extra trips to the bathroom can be normal, if these symptoms are affecting your daily life, it might indicate an underlying issue.

Common Symptoms:

• Sudden, intense urgency to have a bowel movement, often with little warning

• Frequent trips to the bathroom — more than three times a day, or feeling like you need to go more often than usual

• Inability to delay a bowel movement, leading to accidents or rushing to the bathroom

• Loose stools or diarrhea accompanying frequent bathroom trips

• A sensation of incomplete emptying after a bowel movement

What Causes Bowel Urgency and Frequency?

There are many potential causes for bowel urgency and frequency, including:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): A chronic condition that can cause urgent, frequent bowel movements, often with diarrhea.

• Chronic constipation: A buildup of stool that leads to a sudden urge when the bowel becomes overstretched or impacted.

• Pelvic floor dysfunction: Weak or overactive pelvic floor muscles that affect bowel control and timing.

• Dietary factors: Foods that irritate the digestive system (spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol) can cause frequent urges or diarrhea.

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Conditions like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can cause urgent, frequent bowel movements along with pain and discomfort.

• Anxiety or stress: Stress can affect the gut, leading to more frequent bowel movements or urgency.

• Hormonal changes: In women, hormonal fluctuations (such as during menstruation or menopause) can impact bowel function.

How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help:

Pelvic floor physical therapy can be incredibly effective in addressing bowel urgency and frequency. Here’s how it can help:

• Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles: By improving the strength and coordination of the pelvic floor, you can enhance bowel control and reduce urgency.

• Training the muscles to relax: For individuals who experience urgency due to pelvic floor tightness or spasms, therapy helps relax these muscles to allow for better control.

• Improving bowel habits: We can help you develop regular and efficient bowel routines to minimize urgency and frequency.

• Managing triggers: Therapy also includes identifying and avoiding foods or stressors that may be contributing to your symptoms.

Get Relief from Bowel Urgency and Frequency

If bowel urgency and frequency are affecting your daily life, you don’t have to just cope. Pelvic floor therapy, combined with personalized lifestyle and dietary changes, can help reduce symptoms and restore normal bowel function.

Urinary Urgency and Frequency — Understanding and Managing Your Bladder Health

Urinary urgency and frequency are common bladder issues that many people experience at some point in their lives. Urgency refers to the sudden, strong need to urinate, often with little warning, while frequency means the need to urinate more often than usual throughout the day or night.

If these symptoms are affecting your daily activities or sleep, they may indicate an underlying issue that can be addressed with the right treatment.

Common Symptoms:

• Urinary urgency — a sudden and often overwhelming need to urinate

• Increased urinary frequency, such as needing to urinate more than eight times a day

• Frequent nighttime urination (nocturia), which disrupts your sleep

• Leaking urine when you feel the urge to urinate

• Difficulty fully emptying the bladder, even after urinating

• Discomfort or pressure in the pelvic area

What Causes Urinary Urgency and Frequency?

There are several potential causes for urinary urgency and frequency, including:

• Overactive Bladder (OAB): A condition in which the bladder muscles contract involuntarily, causing the sudden urge to urinate.

• Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Infections can cause a frequent need to urinate, along with discomfort or pain.

• Pelvic floor dysfunction: Weak or tight pelvic floor muscles can interfere with bladder control, leading to urgency or frequent urination.

• Bladder irritants: Certain foods and drinks, like caffeine, alcohol, or acidic foods, can irritate the bladder and increase urgency and frequency.

• Stress and anxiety: Emotional stress can impact bladder function, causing more frequent trips to the bathroom.

• Hormonal changes: In women, hormonal shifts, particularly during pregnancy, menopause, or menstruation, can affect bladder control and function.

• Prostate issues in men: An enlarged prostate can increase urinary frequency and urgency, especially at night.

How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help:

Pelvic floor physical therapy can be a highly effective treatment for managing urinary urgency and frequency. Here’s how it can help:

• Strengthening pelvic floor muscles: By strengthening the muscles that support the bladder, you can regain better control over your urinary function.

• Improving coordination: Pelvic floor therapy helps retrain your pelvic muscles to work in harmony, allowing you to hold urine longer without urgency.

• Relaxing tight muscles: If your pelvic floor muscles are too tight, therapy can help relax them to reduce symptoms of urgency.

• Bladder retraining: This technique involves gradually extending the time between bathroom visits to help your bladder adjust and reduce urgency and frequency.

• Managing bladder irritants and triggers: We provide personalized strategies to avoid foods, drinks, or behaviors that may trigger symptoms.

Take Control of Your Bladder Health

Living with urinary urgency and frequency can be frustrating, but with the right treatment, you don’t have to simply cope. Pelvic floor therapy, along with lifestyle adjustments, can help you regain control, reduce symptoms, and improve your quality of life.

Bladder Incontinence — Regaining Control and Confidence

Bladder incontinence refers to the inability to control urination, leading to accidental leakage of urine. It’s a common condition that can affect individuals of all ages, but it’s especially prevalent as people age or after certain life events, like childbirth.

While bladder incontinence can feel embarrassing, it is treatable. You don’t have to live with the discomfort and frustration it causes. With the right treatment and support, you can regain control of your bladder and your life.

Types of Bladder Incontinence:

• Stress Incontinence: Leaking urine when pressure is placed on the bladder, such as when coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, or exercising.

• Urge Incontinence: A sudden, intense need to urinate followed by involuntary leakage. It’s often caused by an overactive bladder.

• Overflow Incontinence: Involuntary leakage due to the bladder not fully emptying, leading to constant dribbling or frequent small leaks.

• Functional Incontinence: This occurs when physical or cognitive impairments prevent someone from getting to the bathroom in time.

Common Symptoms:

• Accidental leakage of urine during activities like sneezing, laughing, or physical exercise

• Urgency — the strong and sudden need to urinate, often followed by leakage

• Frequent bathroom trips, especially during the day or night (nocturia)

• Dribbling or leaking urine without warning

• Inability to fully empty the bladder or a feeling of incomplete emptying

Causes of Bladder Incontinence:

Bladder incontinence can have many different causes, including:

• Weak pelvic floor muscles: The muscles that support the bladder and urethra may weaken over time or due to injury, leading to incontinence.

• Pregnancy and childbirth: These can stretch or damage the pelvic floor muscles and tissues, leading to incontinence, especially in cases of stress incontinence.

• Aging: As we age, the muscles that control bladder function may weaken, and bladder capacity may decrease.

• Hormonal changes: In women, menopause or other hormonal fluctuations can weaken bladder control.

• Neurological conditions: Diseases like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or stroke can affect the nerves that control bladder function.

• Obesity: Excess weight can put added pressure on the bladder, contributing to incontinence.

• Bladder irritants: Certain foods and drinks (like caffeine, alcohol, or spicy foods) can irritate the bladder and lead to urgency and leakage.

How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help:

Pelvic floor physical therapy is one of the most effective treatments for bladder incontinence. Here’s how it can help:

• Strengthening pelvic floor muscles: Therapy focuses on strengthening the muscles that control urination, helping to improve bladder control.

• Improving bladder muscle coordination: Pelvic floor therapy helps train the muscles of the bladder and pelvic floor to work together more effectively.

• Relaxing tight muscles: In cases where pelvic floor muscles are too tight or overactive, therapy helps to relax these muscles and improve bladder function.

• Bladder retraining: This involves gradually increasing the time between bathroom trips to help the bladder hold more urine and reduce urgency.

• Behavioral modifications: Therapy can also include tips on managing fluid intake, identifying bladder irritants, and establishing a regular bathroom routine to reduce symptoms.

You Deserve Relief

Bladder incontinence doesn’t have to control your life. Pelvic floor therapy, combined with other treatments and lifestyle changes, can help you regain bladder control and restore your confidence.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) — Understanding Your Digestive Health

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal (GI) condition that affects how your intestines function, causing a variety of digestive symptoms. While it doesn’t cause long-term damage to your digestive system, the symptoms can be disruptive, uncomfortable, and frustrating.

Common Symptoms of IBS:

• Abdominal pain or cramping

• Bloating and a feeling of fullness

• Changes in bowel habits, including: diarrhea, constipation, or alternating between both. Mucus in stool may also be present.

• A sensation of incomplete bowel movements

What Causes IBS?

The exact cause of IBS is not fully understood, but several factors are believed to contribute to the condition:

• Digestive motility issues: Problems with how your intestines move food and waste.

• Increased sensitivity: IBS sufferers may have a heightened sensitivity to gas, food, and waste in the intestines.

• Pelvic floor dysfunction: Tension or weakness in the pelvic floor muscles can contribute to IBS symptoms, particularly with bowel movements.

• Food sensitivities: Certain foods, especially high-fat, spicy foods, or dairy, can trigger flare-ups.

• Stress: Emotional and physical stress can worsen symptoms.

How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Can Help:

Pelvic floor physical therapy is an effective part of managing IBS symptoms, especially when there are issues with muscle tension in abdomen or pelvis, coordination, and bowel habits. Therapy can:

• Address pelvic floor muscle dysfunction that may be contributing to constipation or incontinence

• Address fascial and muscle tightness in abdomen with specialized visceral therapy.

• Improve bowel movement coordination and reduce symptoms of urgency or incomplete evacuation

• Teach you strategies for managing stress and tension that may be exacerbating your symptoms

• Offer dietary and lifestyle recommendations to help reduce bloating, pain, and discomfort

Get Support

If IBS is affecting your daily life, you're not alone. We provide comprehensive care designed to help you manage symptoms and improve your quality of life. Let us help you get back to feeling like yourself again.

Interstitial Cystitis (IC) / Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS)

Interstitial Cystitis (IC), also known as Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS), is a chronic condition that causes bladder pain, discomfort, and urinary urgency without a clear infection or other obvious cause.

The exact cause of IC is not fully understood, but it involves inflammation or damage to the bladder lining, which can result in the bladder becoming more sensitive or irritated. For many people, this condition significantly impacts quality of life, causing frequent trips to the bathroom and persistent discomfort.

Common Symptoms:

• Bladder pain or pressure, often in the pelvic area

• Frequent urinary urgency — feeling the need to urinate often, even when the bladder isn’t full

• Discomfort during or after urination

• Painful intercourse

• Flare-ups of symptoms, sometimes triggered by certain foods, stress, or hormonal changes

What Causes IC/PBS?

While the exact cause is unclear, several factors are thought to contribute to IC/PBS:

• Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction (possibly up to 92% of cases): Tightness or weakness in the pelvic floor muscles can aggravate symptoms.

• Nerve sensitivity: Increased sensitivity of the nerves in the pelvic area may cause heightened pain or urgency.

• Chronic inflammation: Long-term inflammation in the bladder may contribute to symptoms.

• Damaged bladder lining: Hunner’s lesion (less common type 5-10% of cases)

How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help:

Pelvic floor physical therapy can play an important role in managing IC/PBS. Here’s how it helps:

• Relaxing the pelvic floor muscles: Tension in the pelvic muscles can contribute to bladder pain, so therapy works to reduce that muscle tightness.

• Improving pelvic floor coordination: Therapy helps re-train muscles to work more efficiently and relieve symptoms.

• Calming nerve sensitivity: Pelvic floor therapy techniques can help decrease heightened nerve responses in the pelvic area.

• Managing bladder habits: Therapy can guide you on healthy toileting habits and strategies to manage urgency and frequency.

• Reducing flare-ups: We help identify triggers and create a personalized plan to minimize symptom flare-ups.

Finding Relief

IC/PBS can be challenging, but with the right treatment, you can manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Pelvic floor therapy is one of the most effective options for addressing the muscle, nerve, and bladder issues that contribute to IC/PBS.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) — Understanding and Managing Your Gut Health

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a digestive condition where there is an excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestine. Normally, the small intestine contains fewer bacteria than the large intestine, but in SIBO, these bacteria multiply, leading to digestive discomfort and a variety of symptoms.

SIBO can disrupt normal digestion and absorption of nutrients, causing a range of issues, from bloating and diarrhea to constipation and malnutrition. Although it’s a complex condition, the right treatment can help you manage and alleviate symptoms.

Common Symptoms of SIBO:

• Bloating or a feeling of fullness after eating

• Abdominal pain or cramping

• Excessive gas or belching

• Diarrhea or constipation

• Unexplained weight loss or difficulty gaining weight

• Fatigue or feeling tired even after a full night’s rest

• Nausea or indigestion after meals

What Causes SIBO?

SIBO can develop when the normal balance of bacteria in the small intestine is disrupted. Several factors can contribute to the development of SIBO:

• Motility issues: When the small intestine is not moving properly (known as intestinal dysmotility), it can lead to bacterial overgrowth.

• Weakened immune system: A compromised immune system can allow harmful bacteria to proliferate in the small intestine.

• Structural issues in the gut: Conditions like Crohn’s disease, surgery, or intestinal strictures can create environments where bacteria can thrive.

• Low stomach acid: Stomach acid helps control bacterial growth, and a lack of stomach acid can allow bacteria to grow unchecked.

• Chronic use of antibiotics: Frequent or long-term use of antibiotics can disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in the digestive system.

How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help:

While pelvic floor therapy may not directly treat SIBO itself—needs medical management, it can be helpful adjunct treatment for managing related symptoms such as bloating, constipation, or abdominal discomfort:

• Improving gut motility: Pelvic floor therapy can help improve the movement of the intestines and promote proper digestion.

• Addressing constipation: If SIBO is accompanied by constipation, pelvic floor physical therapy can improve pelvic floor muscle coordination and help restore regular bowel movements.

• Reducing bloating and discomfort: Pelvic floor therapy can help address tension in the abdominal area that might be contributing to bloating or pain.

• Improving posture: Proper posture can aid digestion and help reduce symptoms of bloating and discomfort.

Managing SIBO

Managing SIBO typically involves dietary changes, antibiotic treatment, and addressing any underlying conditions that may contribute to bacterial overgrowth. If you’re dealing with bloating, discomfort, or digestive issues, there are a variety of treatment options available to help manage symptoms and promote better gut health.

Intravaginal Pessary Fitting — A Simple Solution for Prolapse and Bladder Leakage

An intravaginal pessary is a silicone device designed to help manage symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary leakage. It works by supporting the pelvic organs, helping to relieve discomfort, prevent bulging sensations, and reduce leakage during daily activities.

How It Works:

• Supports the pelvic organs to prevent them from prolapsing (dropping down)

• Helps control urinary leakage by providing support to the bladder and urethra

• It can be used either short-term or long-term, depending on your needs and preferences

Flexible Use:

One of the benefits of a pessary is its versatility. You can wear it:

• All the time for continuous support

• Only during certain activities, such as exercise, walking, or while standing for extended periods

• As needed, to help with symptoms during specific times of the day or while engaging in certain movements

Fitting Process:

During the fitting, we ensure that the intravaginal device is the correct size and shape for your anatomy and comfort. There are many different types and sizes of pessary’s available. With proper fitting and guidance, a pessary can be a life-changing solution for managing prolapse and leakage without surgery.