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Could my constipation be caused by pelvic floor dyssynergia?

As many as 50% of people with chronic constipation have pelvic floor dysfunction. This dysfunction is commonly diagnosed as “pelvic floor dyssynergia,” which is a fancy way of saying the pelvic floor muscles are not coordinating correctly to have a bowel movement. When the muscles aren’t coordinated correctly, there is disruption in the signals our...

Research Backs Abdominal Massage for Functional Constipation

As pelvic physical therapists in Boulder County, functional constipation has been something treated in our clinics via various techniques. A new randomized controlled trial has shown one commonly performed intervention to be an effective first-line treatment for functional constipation. Functional constipation is defined by the Rome IV criteria. Rome IV criteria: Must include two or...

The scope of pelvic health physical therapy is wider than you may think. Pelvic physical therapy can help address a variety of gastrointestinal dysfunctions including: –constipation -IBS -bloating -abdominal pain -fecal incontinence -abdominophrenic dyssynergia  -and more! One of the most researched and successfully treated GI dysfunctions in pelvic PT is constipation. Constipation is broken down...

Constipation Pain and Stomach Cramps: Causes, Relief, and When PT Can Help

Constipation doesn't just mean infrequent bowel movements, it can cause stomach pain, abdominal cramping, bloating, and a persistent feeling of pressure or fullness that interferes with daily life, exercise, and sleep. The good news: constipation pain is treatable, and in many cases, highly responsive to targeted physical therapy. At Mend, our pelvic floor PTs in Boulder and Lafayette help patients address the root cause, not just temporary symptom relief.