*Constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and PT

CONSTIPATION AND IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)

Constipation can be a very uncomfortable and painful condition in which the bowels move  less than 2 times a week and you have hard stools, straining, and incomplete emptying of feces at least 25% of the time.  There may significant straining to evacuate stool which causes risk of other problems such as organ prolapse (dropping of pelvic organs such as the bladder), pain, or pelvic floor dysfunction and continence issues.  Irritable Bowel Syndrome leads to abdominal pain, bloating, and bowel movements varying between constipation and diarrhea.  Here is a slideshow on IBS symptoms, tests, and tretaments.

Both constipation and IBS are treated medically with medication and diet.  Physical Therapy may help improve pain and issues related to pelvic floor muscle dysfunction.

Conservative Physical Therapy Management of constipation and IBS due to pelvic floor dysfunction may include: 

• modalities such as heat and ice
• Manual Therapy:  “hands on” treatment to improve pain and restore function and movement. 
• Mobilization and Manipulation:  movement of a joint to improve pain and restore functional movement.
• Therapeutic exercise:  specific exercise to improve pain and restore functional movement.  
• Functional Movement Training:  exercises to improve posture and movement
• Kegel exercises or pelvic floor retraining:  exercise to correct pelvic floor muscle.  dysfunction.   It is important to get proper training in doing this exercise correctly to avoid problems. 
• Biofeedback:  a way of using a computer or other device to “see” and improve body functions such as muscle activity or indicators of stress.  Also used to “see” the function of the pelvic floor muscle to improve therapeutic exercise or breathing patterns.   
• Electrical Stimulation or TENS:  used to help improve pain, inflammation, muscle spasm, muscle function, and circulation.

Not all physical therapists work with the pelvic floor.  There are women's health physical therapists who specialize in pelvic floor rehabilitation.  They work with conditions that may include incontinence, pelvic pain, pregnancy, and osteoporosis.  You can get more information on this specialty area of physical therapy or locate a PT who works with these conditions at the website for the Section on Women's Health of the American Physical Therapy Association here.

*Links are given to provide a general overview of a topic and not intended to suggest complete or authoritative information on a particular subject.  The information provided is always subject to change.*