Let’s face it. At some point or another, we’ve all felt “backed-up.”
I had never dealt with constipation until a surge of hormones hit me at around 10 weeks of pregnancy, and let me tell you, I was not fond.
So what exactly is constipation anyway?
Constipation is a condition characterized by:
- Having 3 or fewer bowel movements a week
- Having stools that are hard, dry, and/or lumpy
- Having pain and/or difficulty passing stool
- Sometimes feeling the inability to fully void stool
Constipation can be caused by lifestyle habits such as inactivity, low water-intake, low fiber-intake, and stress. It can also be caused by certain medications and medical conditions. And so often forgotten, it can also be caused by pelvic floor dysfunction and/or trauma to the pelvic floor.
Constipation can also manifest with many symptoms you feel when you’re off the toilet.
Constipation can cause:
- Stomach aches
- Abdominal cramping
- Feelings of bloating and/or nausea
- Decreased appetite
- Increased pain with intercourse, tailbone pain, overactive bladder, or leakage if such issues are already present
Constipation can also lead to other pelvic health issues due to straining or bearing down too hard to try to pass stool, such as swollen or inflamed veins (otherwise known as hemorrhoids), pelvic floor weakness, and even pelvic organ prolapse.
Treating constipation requires a multifaceted approach to care involving multiple interventions, and the great news is that we cover every single one of them in pelvic floor physical therapy!
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists treating constipation…
- Suggest dietary changes
- Recommend conservative supplements that do not cause permanent damage to the colon (as some laxatives do)
- Lengthen the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles
- Create personalized exercise plans to promote movement and length in the muscles
At OrthoPelvic, we even have a constipation package, where when you prepay for your treatment sessions, you get a free package filled with all the goodies needed to address your constipation at home in your everyday life and complement the work you do at PT (think cupping set, squatty potty, supplements, etc).
If you are dealing with constipation or another nagging pain or injury that just won’t go away, book a FREE 10-minute consult call today. We know we can help you ✨
Be empowered in education,
OrthoPelvic Physical Therapy
