Pelvic Floor Disorders: Don't Suffer in Silence

Imagine having the frequent urge to go to the bathroom at unexpected times. Picture yourself skipping playtime with your children because you fear you might experience urinary leakage. Imagine wanting to exercise, but not being able to participate due to pelvic pain or extreme discomfort. That’s what life is like for women who are affected with one or more pelvic floor disorders.

Pelvic floor disorders are a group of conditions that occur when the pelvic muscles are weakened or there is a tear in the connective tissue that supports them. The most common type of pelvic floor disorder, urinary incontinence, impacts nearly 50 percent of women. Those who suffer from a pelvic floor disorder may also experience bowel control problems and constipation.

Stephanie A. Jacobs, MD, a female pelvic reconstructive surgeon and member of the GBMC Health Partners – Urogynecology team, notes that pelvic floor disorders can be painful, uncomfortable to live with, and difficult to discuss. Help is available, though, and women should not suffer in silence.