Taking Care of Your Voice: Vocal Hygiene Tips
MAY 28, 2025Prioritize your vocal health with these practical vocal hygiene tips to improve communication and overall well-being.
Read MoreIf you think pelvic health is something that only affects some women, you might be surprised. Men and women of all ages can experience health issues related to their pelvic floor. The common thread is that it’s often something people hesitate to bring up to their providers.
Pelvic floor dysfunction has a variety of causes, including bowel, bladder and sexual dysfunction as well as chronic pelvic and lower back/hip pain. It is frequently not just one thing causing pelvic floor dysfunction, but a “break down” in the system.
Pelvic health physical therapy is a multi-modal, conservative approach to treating pelvic floor dysfunction. It’s more than “just doing kegels.” In fact, performing kegels often is not the sole appropriate intervention for symptom reduction and includes many exercises that target pelvic floor muscles.
A pelvic health physical therapist provides a thorough initial examination, looks at the entire body, how it is functioning as a unit and makes individualized recommendations for treatment. Common health issues addressed by pelvic health physical therapists include, but are not limited to:
Too often, people suffer in silence because they assume not much can be done for these issues, when nothing could be further from the truth. The following symptoms and conditions can be improved or resolved with pelvic health physical therapy:
This is another area patients may hesitate to bring up to their provider, or they assume nothing can be done, when that isn’t the case. Typical diagnoses we can help with include:
Women are often surprised to learn that one or more organs can slip down and bulge into the vagina. This is not life-threatening but can cause pain, discomfort and/or other symptoms. It’s estimated to affect almost 3 percent of women in the US, though that number may be higher because many may be embarrassed to talk about it or are unaware it is present.
This can be a difficult subject for men and women alike to bring up in their provider’s office. The good news is there is help for a variety of sexual issues related to the pelvic floor, including:
New moms can benefit from learning techniques for proper lifting mechanics and positions for breastfeeding, plus postural re-education for their changing bodies. Other diagnoses addressed include:
Promoting good pelvic floor health through menopause and beyond can improve urinary and gynecologic symptoms including incontinence, prolapse and sexual issues.
Several types of cancer and modes of cancer treatment can impact the pelvic floor and affect the body’s bowel, bladder and sexual function.
Pelvic health physical therapy is important after all kinds of surgeries, including gynecologic, abdominal and bowel surgeries.
The pelvic floor is integral to how the body moves. An orthopedic issue can trigger problems with the pelvic floor, and pelvic floor dysfunction can contribute to orthopedic issues. Specific diagnoses include:
If you think you may have any of these issues, reach out to your primary care provider or to our Pelvic Health Center team.
Prioritize your vocal health with these practical vocal hygiene tips to improve communication and overall well-being.
Read MoreYour liver does so much for the body. As a filter and processing plant, it helps break down toxins, helps store energy and more. It's time to show it some love!
Read MoreWhether it's a lack of motivation, feeling overwhelmed, or simply having a loss of appetite, nourishing yourself can feel impossible when you're already struggling.
Read MoreWhen you need local health information from a trusted source, turn to the CHI Health Better You eNewsletter.