Your pelvic floor is not something you usually think about, until you run into issues with the muscles and organs that reside there. Roughly one in three women will experience pelvic floor difficulties in her lifetime. Some things that contribute to weak pelvic floor muscles include pregnancy, childbirth, pelvic surgery or injury, menopause and natural aging. Being overweight or having a chronic cough can also add to the problem.
“Our pelvic floor muscles are basically a bowl that holds our bladder, uterus, and rectum – if the muscles are too tense or too weak then it can cause urine leakage, fecal leakage, or pelvic pain,” notes Kendell Farr, WHNP-BC at Hannibal Regional Medical Group. “When these muscles become weakened – from things like childbirth, heavy lifting, chronic coughing; basically anything that puts a lot of pressure on it - it can cause a loss of bladder or bowel control and can increase the risk of prolapse.” Weak pelvic floor muscles can also put strain on other muscles throughout the body, causing them to work overtime to make up for the lack of support in the pelvic floor. This imbalance can cause pain in other areas of the body, such as lower back pain or hip pain.
Kendell Farr, WHNP-BC is specially trained to help women improve the strength of their pelvic floor muscles through pelvic floor therapy. Pelvic floor therapy is a non-surgical option for women of all ages who may be experiencing complications. “I have treated women postpartum with pain during intercourse or urinary leakage. I have also treated post-menopausal women with complications. The outcomes have been very successful!” shares Kendell. “Typically, people rate an 80% improvement in symptoms by the end of treatments. I have been so impressed and thankful to be able to offer this service to the community.”
One of Kendell’s patients shares, “I have experienced significant benefits from the pelvic floor e-stimulation treatments with Kendell Farr, MSN, WHNP-BC. Kendell was very professional and knowledgeable about the treatments, and she was kind and compassionate in the care she provided. The treatments have enabled me to not require surgery, and that is a great relief to me.”
If you experience any issues related to your pelvic floor, it’s best to discuss them with your doctor. There are a number of treatments available to improve pelvic floor problems, including lifestyle changes, medication, behavioral therapy, pelvic rehabilitation, non-surgical interventions and surgery.
To learn more contact the office of Kendell Farr, WHNP-BC by calling (573) 629-3500.