There is growing trend in Physical Therapy to address specific Women’s Health concerns. Women are susceptible to many health problems that rarely occur in men. Osteoporosis, Interstitial Cystitus, urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, vulvodynia, and pelvic floor dysfunction are all health conditions that can be treated effectively with physical therapy.
At Slainte Physical Therapy we offer a full range Women’s Health services, including:

• Surface EMG/Biofeedback for pelvic floor dysfunction. This service gives specific visual and audio feedback that allows a woman to train her pelvic floor muscles (PFM), both to increase strength and reduce spasm. Surface EMG is especially helpful with pelvic pain syndromes.
  
• Electrical muscle stimulation. Electrodes can be placed on the perineum, or intravaginally, depending on the patient’s tolerance, to actively contract the PFM. This is especially effective when proprioception is limited or the PFM is very weak. Low frequency electrical stimulation inhibits the detrusor muscle, and is effective for urge incontinence and frequency problems.
  
• Manual Therapy and Exercise. The initial evaluation identifies structural imbalances that may affect the pelvic floor and bladder. These include postural discrepancies, sacroiliac dysfunction, lumbar mal-alignment, and assessment of trigger points that effect the painful region. We use manual techniques to correct the imbalances and decrease the tonicity of tight, spasmed muscles, and exercise to stabilize the involved structures.
  
• Education. This is the most important part of our program. The patient is fully evaluated and given specific instruction in posture, body mechanics, pelvic floor exercise, diet, fluid consumption, and/or adopting/following a bladder schedule. Every effort is made to tailor the program to the lifestyle of the woman, and questions are always encouraged.