“I AM 100% PAIN FREE TODAY AND HAVE STAYED PAIN FREE FOR OVER 5 YEARS.”

You may know it as painful bladder syndrome, IC, or even mistake it for reoccurring urinary tract infections, but there is one thing everyone can agree—Interstitial Cystitis is an often painful and always inconvenient pelvic floor condition.

MANY OF THE URINARY, BOWEL, OR SEXUAL SYMPTOMS THAT PATIENTS WITH INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS EXPERIENCE CAN BE SIGNS OF PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION, INCLUDING:

• Urinary urgency, frequency, hesitancy, stopping and starting, or incomplete emptying
• Painful urination
• Constipation, straining, or pain with bowel movements
• Unexplained pain in the lower back, pelvic region, genital area, or rectum
• Pain during or after intercourse or orgasm

Many patients with interstitial cystitis (IC) and their physicians are turning to physical therapy to help ease IC symptoms and pain. This kind of therapy is especially helpful if the patient has pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and it has been found that 87% of IC patients have PFD.

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that attaches to the front, back, and sides of the pelvis and to the tailbone and sacrum. These muscles support the pelvic organs, including the bladder, uterus or prostate, and rectum, and wrap around the urethra, vagina (in women), and rectum. Coordinated contraction and relaxation of these muscles helps control bladder and bowel function.Here’s the good news: pelvic floor physical therapy can help relieve your Interstitial Cystitis symptoms.

Studies have demonstrated the benefit of physical therapy for tight and tender pelvic muscles associated with IC. One study reported that 70 percent of IC patients who were treated with manual physical therapy to the pelvic floor for 12 to 15 visits experienced moderate to marked improvement (2).

Our therapists will perform an evaluation which will determine the patient’s major complaint in addition to determining if there is a PFD link to their IC symptoms. The therapist will then inspect the biomechanical and structural causes of their IC or PFD such as muscle imbalances and joint misalignment. Our team will then develop an individualized treatment plan which may include: internal and external manual therapy such as myofascial release, nerve gliding/tension release and visceral manipulation as well as biofeedback.

Here’s proof that pelvic floor physical therapy can heal Interstitial Cystitis:

This patient’s testimonial vouch for the efficiency and effectiveness of pelvic floor physical therapy with the Pelvic Healing team at Sarton Physical Therapy.

JULIE SARTON IS THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST WHO TRULY CHANGED MY LIFE.

Julie Sarton is the Physical Therapist who truly changed my life. I am 100% pain free today and have stayed pain free for over 5 years. The physical therapy treatment I received from Julie was far superior to any physical therapy I had before. She was able to pinpoint the source of my pain immediately. I went to her for internal work and she gave me a home program that allowed me to correct imbalances in my body that were exacerbating my pelvic floor spasms. Julie empowered me to change my body, so I could finally become pain free.

M.M