Tips for Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction

We wanted to talk about a topic that most of us experience every day- going to the bathroom. We work with many patients who have suffered in silence for years with toilet troubles whether it be difficulty holding it in, letting it go, or any other pains and discomfort that happen in the bathroom. It can feel embarrassing to deal with or even talk about, but it’s so important to reach out to a specialist if you have concerns so things don’t become worse. A healthy pelvic floor starts with healthy habits, so we wanted to share with all of you some tips for having healthy bathroom habits and a healthy pelvic floor. A lot of these will prevent future dysfunction so whether or not you are currently concerned with something, you will want to make sure you implement these tips:

1. Squat, Don’t Sit!

There is a new phenomenon that has reached more of the mainstream thanks to pelvic floor therapists, everywhere! Let me explain to you the importance of squatting > sitting. We all have this muscle called the puborectalis muscle. This muscle originates on the pubic bone and wraps around the anus, it looks kind of like a lasso! It is one of the muscles that make up our pelvic floor. This muscle is in a tightened position around the anus when we are standing and sitting, and relaxes when our knees go higher than our hips, and we enter into a squat position. This is why it’s better on your pelvic floor, more comfortable, and more effective to squat when going #2! Whether you use a stool or buy a squatty potty, anything is better than sitting.

2. Stop Going “Just In Case”

When you go to the bathroom because you aren’t sure when you’ll get to the next bathroom, you are actually doing more harm than good to your body. When you go pee “just in case”, you are training your bladder to need to empty when it is not full. This will lead to problems down the road so our best advice is: go when you gotta go! If you had to go you wouldn’t hold it in, so listen to your body and trust its cues.

3. Get Up and Move!

Making sure to get up and move often has more of an impact on your pelvic floor than you may realize. That resistance against gravity actually helps to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles since the main role of those muscles is to hold the pelvic organs in place. In contrast, a sedentary lifestyle can weaken those muscles more quickly along with aging and can lead to issues like bowel or urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, or prolapse. Living an active lifestyle also helps us to have healthy bowel movements! When we sit in a scrunched position all day, this can put pressure on our intestines which can “gum up the works.” If you are constipated, it helps to get up and walk around, or to implement a regular exercise regimen.

4. Relax, Don’t Push.

When you finally “squat” down and start to go, don’t strain! A healthy toilet experience involves relaxing your body and letting it flow naturally, not straining and pushing, especially for urination. It’s a widely accepted myth that bowel movements should involve exertion, straining, and pushing. A healthy bowel movement should require more relaxation than pushing. If you feel like you need to strain to go, you might not really have to go just yet or you may want to consult with a pelvic floor specialist as this straining can lead to prolapse or other issues.

5. Stay Hydrated!

Drinking plenty of water seems to be the best and most applicable piece of advice we give! When it comes to using the bathroom, healthy bowel movements require us to drink plenty of water and it can help with constipation. We have many patients that suffer from urinary incontinence or frequent urges who try to drink less water in hopes it will help with their leaking and urges. When in reality, the root of the problem is not that you are drinking too much water, so drinking less won’t be the solution! It could make it worse because your urine will become more concentrated. So stay hydrated, and if you need help with incontinence or frequency, give us a call for a free consultation at 401-602-7006.

A healthy pelvic floor requires healthy habits, and sometimes the help and guidance of a pelvic floor physical therapist. I hope these tips will help, but if you are currently suffering from pelvic dysfunction, they likely won’t be enough to reverse it. If you are interested in learning about your options or getting expertly tailored advice, give us a call at 401-602-7006, or email us at info@aranciapt.com