It’s highly unlikely that someone will head into a therapist’s office for a stand-alone “vaginal massage.” Why not? “It’s one small aspect of the whole therapy,” says Laura Y. Huang, MD, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She notes that pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback, soft tissue release, and education are some of the many pelvic floor physical therapy treatments used to relieve pain or retrain muscles. Learning techniques and strategies to manage the condition at home is also part of treatment.
Try Biofeedback. Biofeedback can help you learn how to strengthen or relax your pelvic floor muscles. Using special sensors that track your pelvic floor muscle function, you can learn how to activate the correct muscles to keep your pelvic floor toned. This is typically done in an office setting by a nurse or trained therapist. The sessions are usually about an hour. You sit in a comfortable chair with your clothes on after the sensors have been put in place – usually one on your abdomen and the other in your anal canal. The sensors measure the electrical activity of your pelvic floor muscles – especially the ones that control bladder and bowel function – while you contract and release the muscles. There are also home biofeedback devices you can purchase, but you should still have a pelvic floor assessment by a professional before using.
Cleveland Clinic’s Ob/Gyn & Women’s Health Institute is committed to providing world-class care for women of all ages. We offer women's health services, obstetrics and gynecology throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond. Whether patients are referred to us or already have a Cleveland Clinic ob/gyn, we work closely with them to offer treatment recommendations and follow-up care to help you receive the best outcome.
Your pelvic floor is the group of muscles and ligaments in your pelvic region. The pelvic floor acts like a sling to support the organs in your pelvis — including the bladder, rectum, and uterus or prostate. Contracting and relaxing these muscles allows you to control your bowel movements, urination, and, for women particularly, sexual intercourse.
Physical therapists (PTs) are experts in movement and function, which sounds like a pretty broad topic to be an expert in, and it is. After physical therapists graduate PT school (now-a-days at the doctoral level), they find their niche and specialize. You can find PTs working with high-level athletes, children, infants, people who are recovering from injuries, people with neurological conditions and many other types of clients.
