Overview
Living well while managing your pelvic wellness
You are not alone. About one in three women will experience a pelvic floor disorder in her lifetime.
What is the pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor is a bowl-shaped part of the body consisting of muscles and other non-muscular soft tissues located in the lower pelvis. It supports the abdominal organs, facilitates urinary and bowel continence and aids in sexual satisfaction.
Pelvic floor disorders
Through the normal movement and stresses associated with daily living, the pelvic floor can weaken and become lax. It is also an area that can carry increased tension and stress. When the pelvic floor weakens or carries undue stress individuals may experience urinary or bowel urgency, incontinence, constipation and pelvic pain or pain with intercourse.
Pelvic floor risk factors
In your control
Don’t smoke
Maintain normal weight
Be physically active
Be cautious with extreme sports
Limit caffeine and excessive intake of fluids
Avoid constipation
Control blood sugar
Keep pelvic floor healthy
Less controllable
Risk increases with age
Pregnancy and childbirth
Pelvic injury, pelvic surgery
Chronic lung disease
Neurological problems
Conditions and treatments
Care to give you confidence
At UW Health, we understand that pelvic floor disorders can be embarrassing and uncomfortable to live with. We help you manage these conditions in ways that help you regain your confidence and fully live your life.
Conditions we treat include:
Issues with bladder and bowel control
Lower reproductive tract fistula
Recurrent urinary tract infection
Treating your pelvic floor conditions
You work with your pelvic wellness team to find the right treatment for you. We provide a wide range of treatment options.
Treatments for bladder control include:
Intravesical botox
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Peri-urethral bulking agents
Pessary fitting
Posterior tibial nerve stimulation
Sacral neuromodulation
Urethral sling surgery
Surgical procedures to treat pelvic organ prolapse include:
Closure of the vagina
Repair of the bladder or urethra
Repair of the rectum or small bowel
Repair of the vaginal wall
Removal of the uterus
Treatments for accidental bowel leakage include:
Anal canal bulking injections
Nerve stimulation
Pelvic floor physical therapy with biofeedback
Rectal or vaginal inserts
Surgery
Programs and research
Specialized pelvic floor disorder care
UW Health doctors have the highest level of training in caring for pelvic floor disorders and related conditions. This means we address all of your concerns at the same time.
Innovations in pelvic health research
Our doctors take part in research to improve care for you. We study and test better treatments for pelvic floor disorders, gynecology, obstetrics and urology conditions.
Our team
Support when you need it
Our clinic focuses on you. We listen to your concerns. We strive to make you feel comfortable. We find a treatment that meets your needs and health goals.
Locations