Men & Pelvic Pain

Men have a pelvic floor too. And it can cause dysfunction just as it can for female anatomy.

Granted the instances of pelvic floor dysfunction is less frequent in male anatomy but it can still be just as bothersome and a cause a great deal of distress.

How can I tell if I have pelvic floor dysfunction?

There can be some clear signs such as changes in voiding (ie slow flor or interrupted flow), erectile dysfunction or pain with ejaculation.

Or there can be other signs such as persistent hip, lower abdominal or back pain that doesn’t go away with conventional musculoskeletal physio.

So what do I do if I experience changes in flow/erections/pain into testes?

First things first is getting a GP referral to review with a urologist to rule out any other important drivers. If that has been cleared then the next step would be reviewing with a pelvic health physiotherapist.

If you are just experiencing hip or back pain and no changes to pelvic floor function you can just head straight to a pelvic floor physio.

What does a pelvic health physiotherapist do?

Pelvic health physiotherapists have further training in the pelvic floor and can assess and treat this. For the male pelvic floor there are three distinctive groups of muscles. One is the levator ani which helps to support the pelvic organs and contributes to anal continence.

The next is the superficial pelvic floor muscles which are responsible for helping to maintain erection and lastly there are sphincters which wrap around the urethra to help hold onto urine.

Jessie at Kin Physio can assess all of these muscles and she also has a background in musculoskeletal physio which means she can screen your back, hips and sacroiliac joint as well as your pelvic floor. Making sure that you have a well rounded and targeted treatment which can address all contributing factors.

What to expect in your first appointment?

At your first appointment expect a lot of questions about the symptoms which led you to physio, as well as any bladder, bowel or sexual dysfunction. We will ask about your general health, exercise levels, work and previous medical history to gain a full understanding.

We would then offer a physical assessment of the likely causes of your pelvic dysfunction whether this be your hip or back or breathing mechanics. We may also offer an internal or visual assessment to check your pelvic floor muscles. However, it is always your choice on what you wish to be assessed. We would always explain the rationale and reasoning behind this but there are always options for assessment based on what you are comfortable with.

What does treatment involve?

This question is near impossible to answer on a blog post as we ensure that your home program and treatment is tailored to you and your goals. It will likely include a lot of education as well as a home program designed to help treat your concerns.