*Constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and PT
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 10:09PM
[Marnie] in BOWEL, PELVIC PAIN

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: 

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.*



Article originally appeared on Pain and Simple Steps (http://www.painandsimplesteps.com/).
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