Physio Down Under Services
At Physio Down Under, we have specialist physios who are trained to assess and treat male pelvic health conditions. Above all, we understand this is a sensitive area and topic. Our therapists will work with you to ensure you are comfortable and informed about your condition and treatment.
Pelvic floor physiotherapy is similar to other types of physiotherapy. Firstly, your therapist will begin by learning about you. You will discuss your past medical history, your current lifestyle, symptoms, and your goals. Secondly, your physiotherapist will watch you move and test your strength and mobility. Your therapist may recommend an internal exam to test your pelvic floor muscles, but it is never mandatory. Thirdly, your physio will discuss their findings and collaborate with you on a plan of care. Treatment plans usually consist of exercises, education, and building helpful habits. Pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation may involve pelvic floor muscle relaxation and releases or targeted strengthening, depending on your symptoms and your physiotherapists’ findings. They will go through exercises with you and may send you an email with exercise videos so you can continue your therapy at home. In conclusion, we want you to leave physiotherapy feeling comfortable, confident, and educated about your condition.
The following are common men’s health conditions that a pelvic floor physiotherapist can assess and treat:
Bladder Health
- Urinary Leakage / Incontinence — Involuntary loss of urine
- Urgency and Frequency — An uncontrollable sensation to urinate
- Incomplete Urination / Post Urination Dribble — Involuntary loss of urine immediately after urination
- Nocturia — A frequent need to urinate at night time which disturbs your sleep
Bowel Health
- Constipation — Fewer than 3 bowel movements a week, stools that are hard to pass and a chronic need to strain
- Defecation Dyssynergia — This happens when the muscles and nerves in the pelvic floor fail to coordinate correctly to have a bowel movement (pelvic floor dysfunction). It can cause or be caused by chronic constipation.
- Urgency — An uncontrollable sensation to pass motion
- Faecal Incontinence — Involuntary loss of bowel matter
- Flatus Incontinence — Involuntary loss of wind
Pelvic Pain
We provide treatment for pain anywhere in the male pelvis, such as: the perineum, groin, hips, back , scrotum, testes during urination, defecation or ejaculation.
Common pelvic pain conditions include:
- Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS), previously known as chronic nonbacterial prostatitis is a condition with long-term pelvic pain without evidence of a bacterial infection. Stress, nerve irritation, injuries or past urinary tract infections are often common findings in patients with CPPS.
- Bladder Pain Syndrome — A chronic condition causing bladder pressure, bladder pain and sometimes pelvic pain in the absence of a bacterial infection.
- Pudendal Neuralgia — Pain anywhere along the pudendal nerve pathway: from the sacrum (base of your spine) to the pubic bone. Often there is pain and/or altered sensation in the penis, scrotum, perineum and/or rectum. Men sometimes describe a sensation as if they are ‘sitting on a rock’ or feeling a burning, electric shock, shooting, aching, itch or a raw feeling in their penis, urethra, perineum, anus or rectum.
Penile / Scrotal Rehabilitation
- Erectile Disorders — Premature ejaculation, Hard/Flaccid syndrome
- Pain during ejaculation and/or erection
- Post-surgical erectile dysfunction (ie. post-prostatectomy)
Surgical Pre and Post Rehabilitation
- Prostatectomy (Full or partial removal of the prostate) — Pelvic floor muscles exercise prescription for urinary continence and erectile function.
- Colorectal cancer
- Inguinal and /or abdominal hernia repair
- Post-vasectomy pelvic floor weakness