LISTEN: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Is ‘Always Treatable,’ Doctor Says on Putting Your Health First

Urogynecologist Dr. James Raders specializes in treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction

One in 5 American women will select surgery to address pelvic floor dysfunction. “If you have a pelvic floor disorder …, tell somebody about it. There is help,” Urogynecologist says. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to Dr. James Raders discuss pelvic floor disorders and what can be done about it.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Americans on average are older today than ever, and by 2050, 1 in 4 Americans will be over the age of 65. Pelvic floor disorders among women grow more likely (and more intense) with age.

The good news is that the stigma associated with it is no longer so strong that it silences women, Health First Urogynecologist James Raders, MD, says on the podcast Putting Your Health First.

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that support organs such as the bladder, the bowel and, in women, the uterus. When the web of muscles and ligaments are impaired, urinary and bowel incontinence along with pain can result. Childbirth is often traumatic to pelvic floor muscles and ligaments, which is why pelvic floor dysfunction often falls under women’s health (though a sizable minority of men report symptoms, too).

Stress incontinence – leakage as a result of sudden pressure, such as from a sneeze, or the tensing of muscles in exercise – and urge incontinence are common. More severe is pelvic organ prolapse, when an organ such as the bladder drops from its position, making a bulge in the vaginal wall.

“These are quality-of-life issues that can profoundly affect a woman’s self-image, her function at work, her sexual function,” says Dr. Raders, a specialist in female pelvic floor disorders.

In fact, there’s a medical questionnaire that gauges how chronic conditions affect a sufferer’s quality of life – the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (or “SF-36”) – and pelvic floor disorders are rated near the bottom, he says.

Risk factors for pelvic floor disorders include age, being overweight or obese, and in women, having had natural childbirth. (While a caesarean section birth does sidestep this risk factor for women, Dr. Raders cautioned that all surgeries carry their own risks.)

“I cringe when I hear patients say, ‘Oh, well, I’m just getting older. It’s normal.’ It’s never normal to leak urine or bowel contents – and it’s always treatable,” he says.

Surgery is common for women with prolapse.

“The lifetime risk of having a surgical procedure for pelvic organ prolapse in this country, now, is 19%, and it’s going to be higher every year as our population ages – so 1 in 5 women is going to end up selecting some surgical procedure.”

But for stress incontinence, exercise along with a healthy diet can make a difference.

Many Americans have heard Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor and reduce the incidence or severity of stress incontinence. Dr. Raders says that pelvic floor exercises of all kinds can only help, but that he’s convinced that all exercise programs that strengthen the body’s core are broadly effective at improving the pelvic floor musculature and reducing symptoms.

“I think the big takeaway I want people to hear is, if you have a pelvic floor disorder, don’t be ashamed. You’re not alone. Tell somebody about it. There is help.”

Visit hf.org/urogynecology to schedule an appointment with a urogynecologist.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to Dr. James Raders discuss pelvic floor dysfunction and what can be done about it.

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