What’s So Important About the Pelvic Floor?

Many of us have heard of the term “pelvic floor”, but we might not be exactly sure what that term means. We also might not be aware that some very common symptoms women face daily can be directly contributed to pelvic floor issues. One in three women will experience a pelvic floor disorder in her lifetime. A National Institutes of Health study found that pelvic floor disorders affect approximately

• 10% of women ages 20-39
• 27% of women ages 40-59
• 37% of women ages 60-79
• And nearly 50% of women over age 80

What is the Pelvic Floor?

In simple terms, the pelvic floor is the group of muscles, ligaments, and other connective tissues that support the pelvic organs: bladder, vagina, uterus, and bowel. Essentially, it’s like a supportive hammock that stretches across from the tailbone (coccyx) to the pubic bone in the pelvis.

What Can Affect Pelvic Floor Health?

During a woman’s lifetime, the pelvic floor can be affected by multiple experiences.

Pregnancy and childbirth are two common reasons.  Just the mere fact of carrying a baby to term places quite a strain on the pelvic floor.  Delivery causes tension and stretch to these muscles. In addition, vaginal tearing frequently occurs. Any complication during delivery, like forceps use, would also add an additional risk.

Obesity is another common risk factor.  Women with BMIs of 26 or above have a consistently heavier load to support.  Body fat presses down on the bladder and bowel and can result in incontinence issues. Women with BMIs higher than 30 also have increased intra-abdominal pressure that can weaken the ligaments and connective tissues in the pelvis.

Menopause is another leading risk factor for pelvic floor disorders.  Hormonal changes, primarily drops in estrogen levels, have a weakening effect on the ligaments that support the pelvis.  This can lead to issues of urinary incontinence, prolapse, and vaginal dryness/painful sex.

Other lifetime factors that can influence pelvic floor health include:

• surgeries
• trauma
• chronic constipation

What Are Some Common Symptoms of a Weak Pelvic Floor?

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the leaking of urine that can’t be controlled.  This is more than just a medical problem, as it can affect one’s social, emotional, and psychological well-being.  There are three main categories of urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence occurs when urine leaks while coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping, or running.  Urge incontinence is the feeling or urgency to void and inability to reach the toilet in time. Mixed incontinence is a combination of stress and urge symptoms.

Dyspareunia

Dyspareunia, or female sexual pain, can be another sign of a weak pelvic floor.  Pain might be limited to the duration of intercourse or may last up to 24 hours afterwards. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) can be a cause of dyspareunia.  Lack of estrogen leads to tissue thinning, irritation, and dryness of the vagina causing discomfort and pain.  Up to 50% of women will experience some dyspareunia due to these changes.

Inability to Orgasm

Pelvic floor muscles play an important role in orgasms.  A healthy pelvic floor allows for stronger and longer lasting orgasms.  A weaker pelvic floor may affect the quality or impair the ability to achieve orgasm.

Treatment Options at The Aesthetics Center

While pelvic floor disorders do get more common as women age, they are not an inevitable part of aging.  However, they do significantly impact a woman’s quality of life.  Fortunately, there are treatment options available to help improve the strength of the pelvic floor and improve the underlying symptoms!

Emsella

Emsella is a great option for women of any age who desire a non-invasive solution for urinary incontinence and improvement in their quality of life.

Emsella is a non-invasive, no down time HIFEM procedure that stimulates the pelvic floor muscles. A single 28-minute session of Emsella is equivalent to 11,000 traditional Kegel contractions.  What makes this treatment so effective is the in-depth penetration and stimulation of the entire pelvic floor without any pain or discomfort.

Treatments are done twice a week for 3 weeks, and 95% of clients have improvement in their underlying symptoms.

Emfemme 360

This procedure is a great option for women who desire non-surgical improvement for their intimate wellness concerns. Emfemme 360 uses a unique technologically advanced 360-degree radiofrequency energy to gently heat tissue and improve its condition.  This thermal energy helps restore women’s intimate well-being without discomfort or downtime.

In just four quick easy to perform sessions, women will notice improvement in vaginal tightness, tone, lubrication, and laxity.  Emfemme 360 also treats the vulva by improving collagen and elastin to improve postmenopausal changes. Women will also notice increase in local circulation, pain relief, and muscle relaxation.

Emfemme 360 + Emsella = Pelvic Power

As Jacksonville’s only Emfemme 360 provider, The Aesthetics Center has the unique ability to offer combination therapy to improve all aspects of the pelvic floor with Emfemme 360 and Emsella.  This powerful duo will improve pelvic muscle tone, lift and strengthen the pelvic floor, tighten the vaginal canal, improve vaginal lubrication, plump up the vulvar area, improve circulation, and offer relief temporarily of spasms.

How to Schedule a Pelvic Floor Treatment

The first step in starting your pelvic floor treatment is to schedule a consultation.  Complimentary consultations are always available at The Aesthetics Center.  Clients meet privately with Dr. Rappaport to assess their suitability for the treatment and to determine whether Emsella, Emfemme 360, or a combination would be most appropriate for their individual concerns.