Men can have Pelvic Pain, too!

YES! MEN SUFFER FROM PELVIC PAIN!

Its more common then you might think… and its causing problems for men nation-wide.

When many people think of pelvic pain, most think of this happening primarily in women. Although pelvic pain is more prevalent in women it is also a common condition for men, affecting up to 15% of the male population at some point in their lifetime.1 Pelvic pain can greatly affect your quality of life, which may include bladder problems such as urinary urgency and frequency, sexual dysfunction, and psychological disturbances.

Unfortunately, male patients with pelvic pain tend to get into a cycle with a diagnosis of chronic prostatitis and multiple rounds of anti-biotics without much relief. I have seen it many times in my 9 years of treating male pelvic floor disorders. Although chronic prostatitis can often be a cause of male pelvic pain, pelvic floor muscle tension is often be involved or even the root of the problem!

When the pelvic floor muscles are tight, they can lead to increased stress on the pelvic organs, including the bladder, resulting in urinary frequency and urgency, poor urine stream, or constipation.

Tight pelvic muscles cause pelvic pain!
Most people don’t think of muscles in your pelvis causing pain, (or even think of having muscles in your pelvis at all), however the pelvic floor muscles can cause pain just like muscles anywhere else in the body! Think of having tight muscles in your shoulders and how this can lead to upper back and neck pain; the same can happen to your pelvic floor. They can cause pain just like muscles anywhere else in the body.

The good thing is, pelvic floor physical therapy can help! There are a variety of treatment methods than can be used to help stretch and relax tight pelvic floor muscles, as well as to improve coordination and strength resulting in long-term pain relief.

Here at Apex we utilize multiple treatment methods to reduce male pelvic pain, including biofeedback to improve pelvic floor muscle coordination, soft tissue manual therapy to reduce muscle tension, and exercise to improve strength and muscle flexibility. A combination of treatment methods can help yield the best results in decreasing or eliminating pelvic pain. In doing this, bladder function, mental health, and overall quality of life can improve.

Remember, it is always important to pick a provider with the best training to give you the very best results. In the area of pelvic floor physical therapy, research has found and has proven that extensive training and experience lead to the best results.

Also, keep in mind that as a medical consumer, you have a choice on where you receive your treatment! Pick the provider who will be best for YOU, the patient!


Sources:

  1. Johnson, J. What are the most common causes of pelvic pain in men?
    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323792.php    Jan 22, 2019.

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