WOMEN'S BOWEL

Women's

Bowel Concerns

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Do you strain or push to do a poo?

Do you feel like you don't empty your bowels properly when you poo or feel a sense of not being empty?

Are you having less than 3 poos per week?

Do you get a regular urge to poo?

Have you got haemorrhoids, fissures or pain when pooing?

Are you wiping more than 3-4 times after you poo to get clean?

Do experience sudden urges to poo and find that you have difficulty holding your poo in?

Are you finding smearing or leaking of poo in your underwear?


What can cause bowel concerns?

Childbirth and pregnancy

Pelvic floor and anal sphincter trauma related to childbirth and surgery

Pelvic floor muscle issues (weakness/too tight)

Constipation

Prolapse of the pelvic organs

Menopause

Chron's and Ulcerative Colitis

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Diet and lifestyle factors

How can my Physiotherapy services help you?

Physiotherapy can help your bowel problems, for most women I am  able to restore your full bowel control or provide you with a substantial improvement in your quality of life.


 I will provide you with an individualised assessment and treatment plan for your bowel issue.


Treatment may include:

  • Pelvic floor muscle training
  • Advice and education on your bowel habits
  • Bowel retraining
  • TENS
  • Rectal balloon therapy (biofeedback)


Pregnancy and Pelvic Health Diaries

Do you want to know more about your bowel?

How do I contract my pelvic floor muscles?

By Cara Richmond • 15 Oct, 2022
What is the Pelvic Floor? The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that are about as thick as the palm of your hand and they create the “floor” of your pelvic attaching from your pubic bone at the front to your coccyx bone at the back. What does the Pelvic Floor do? The pelvic floor helps to maintain control of your poo and wee, they also help to support your pelvic organs (bladder, bowel and uterus), helping to prevent them falling down into your vagina (prolapse). The pelvic floor also helps your sexual function, contributing to orgasm and arousal. How to contract your Pelvic Floor Muscles? These muscles are hidden inside our body and it can be very hard to know if we are actually contracting the muscles the right way. A lot of women actually perform the wrong movement which results in straining and pushing down of the muscles. To contract your muscles the right way I suggest the following: Sitting down on a chair, feet and back well supported Let your belly relax Palms facing up Now imagine that you are trying to stop your wee, squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles If the muscles are being squeezed the right way, you should feel a very small movement of your vagina lifting up from the chair Try and hold for 2-3 seconds and then relax the muscles As you relax the muscles you should feel your vagina drop into the chair Repeat this 10 times Other cues for contracting your pelvic floor muscles Imagine holding in wind Imagine drawing a tampon up your vagina Remember to not hold your breath, avoid clenching your inner thighs, jaw and buttock area

Help I have haemorrhoids!

By Cara Richmond • 27 Sep, 2022
What are haemorrhoids? Haemorrhoids are swollen veins in your anus and lower rectum. if the haemorrhoid is inside your rectum it is called and internal haemorrhoid. If its located on the outside of your anus its called an external haemorrhoid. Symptoms of external haemorrhoids Itching or irritation in your anal area Pain or discomfort with sitting or pain during a poo Difficulty getting clean after passing a bowel motion (lots and lots of wiping) Swelling around your anus Bleeding when passing a poo You can generally see these when you look in a mirror Symptoms of internal haemorrhoids Painless bleeding when passing a poo that is bright red in colour a sensation of a bulge or prolapse of something in the anus when doing a poo, which you may feel that you need to push back up the rectum Not visible without looking internally at the rectum What can cause haemorrhoids? Poor toileting habits and straining in the toilet Pregnancy and childbirth Regular heavy lifting Being overweight or obese Chronic diarrhoea or constipation What can I do to help my haemorrhoids at home? 1. Adopt good toileting habits Avoid straining use a footstool to raise your knees higher than your hips spend no longer than 10 minutes on the toilet 2. Increase your fluid and fibre intake Try and consume at least 8 glasses of water per day, more if you are exercising or completing physical work Eat foods high in natural fibres, such as pears, kiwifruit, prunes, dates, chia seeds and flaxseed 3. Avoid excessive wiping You should aim for 3-4 wipes with toilet paper. If you wipe more than that you can irritate the skin around the anus and the haemorrhoid. Try using water, sorbolene on toilet paper or cold flannels to assist cleaning after a poo, if you find it difficult to clean 4. Avoid prolonged sitting Long periods of sitting, at your desk, car or on the toilet can increase the pressure in the veins around your anus and can cause bigger haemorrhoids. When should I seek help for my haemorrhoids? Any rectal bleeding should be investigated by you GP or local Doctor to rule out other more sinister causes of your bleeding like colon or rectal cancer If you feel that you may have a prolapsed haemorrhoid changes in your bowel habits, e.g. your unable to empty completely now, you notice a mucous discharge If you experience anal pain that disrupts your normal daily life

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