Thousands of women have post partum pelvic floor issues and many have symptoms of pelvic floor problem prior to child birth too. Poor core function and improper mechanics and muscle tone will make a delivery more difficult and increase the likelihood of problems both later in the pregnancy, during delivery and afterward. While pelvic floor issues are more common in women, it can happen in men as well. Common problems can include back pain, urinary incontinence, difficulty getting out of a chair and even upper back and neck pain. If you are having back problems, I recommend seeing a chiropractor to improve those problems before becoming pregnant or during the earliest stages of the pregnancy to get the care you need. C-sections are causing pelvic floor problems for many women. The high level of c-sections in this country has not helped because cutting into the abdomen to deliver a child exposes women to risks, painful problems months and years later and once one c-section has occurred, doctors usually do a second which can potentially be more problematic with problems such as a placenta being stuck to a scar, hernias and the commonly underreported active scars. Years of working with these types of patients has shown me that a one size fits all way of seeing this has led to one size fits all surgical solutions for dropped bladder and many other problems than can be minimized with proper tone in the pelvis. Myofascial release treatment to evaluate scars with active evaluation can be very helpful in patients who have neck and back problems because of how these scars affect function. By definition, an active scar affects what is underneath the scar and can result in episodes of back pain, shoulder problems, neck pain and even foot pain and knee problems. Ironically, a simple screen I have shared with a number of obstetricians performs post surgically after the 6th week post surgery can identify a developing active scar. Referring to a specialist who understands mesentery manipulation with the use of safe and effective myofascial release treatment can resolve them quickly and prevent years of suffering. Unfortunately, these referrals never occur and months later when the scar sets, they can be a lifetime nuisance that was avoidable with intervention at the 6th week. How the multi specialist approach is failing to offer safer and more effective solutions. The back pain epidemic is handled as if back pain is a disease and everyone the patient sees involves another specialist. The pelvic floor epidemic is similar as many of these patients would like to have more effective solutions to things like urinary incontinence and other problems involving the pelvic bowl. Often, these problems are worsening after childbirth since the process stresses and strained and stretches out the tissues involved in the process. Often, the medical solution is a one size fits all therapy, or procedure, or other method that may relieve but not solve the issue. As someone who has worked on thousands of these cases, many patients who visited a therapist for protocoled care to strengthen the lower core fail to solve their problem because their problem can be unique to them because of the delivery, whether or not there were complications or a c section or over time, more urinary incontinence. Chiropractors offer a simpler solution that is all inclusive. When our office evaluates a patient for pelvic floor issues, we consider coccygeal alignment issues, spinal and pelvic joint function, flexibility and function of the fascial system both in the lower pelvis and in the diaphragm which is how Pilates evaluates the core. A thorough history is taken to make sure we understand all the issues the patient is having including whether they delivered naturally. A comprehensive evaluation is performed to help understand how they function, and it includes examination from the feet up and current and past problems are evaluated. Tightness and malfunction of the fascia is noted as fascia drives function. A manual evaluation of the pelvic floor to look for adhesions from past surgical procedures is also noted as well as balance and flexibility. Treatment can include manipulation of the extremities, foot orthotics if the patient is unlevel from the ground up. Shoe size and foot orthotic effectiveness are also evaluated to make sure these are not contributing to the condition. Myofascial release is used to improve function and help the patient move and feel better. On follow-up visits, exercises that are geared to the specific needs of the patient to improve pelvic function as well as myofascial release and manipulation to improve movement and function. Our office will use treat – test – treat protocols to check the effectiveness of our care and compare from visit to visit how the patient feels and functions. Care is complete when the patient can demonstrate they function better and their complaints have improved. If a patient requires another provider, we will refer them to the appropriate one. Most chiropractic offices are simple one stop shops for all your musculoskeletal needs. Your goals are our goals. Keep it simple; think chiropractic first. Need help today? Book online or call our offices for an appointment. References Preidt R. Poll: Women Don’t Talk to Docs About Incontinence. WebMD. Published November 1, 2018. https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/news/20181101/poll-women-dont-talk-to-docs-about-incontinence. 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