Breaking the Silence: How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy is Revolutionizing Women’s Health Care in North Merrick

For too long, women have suffered in silence with pelvic floor dysfunction, often believing their symptoms are simply “part of being a woman” or an inevitable consequence of childbirth and aging. However, pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) is an evidence-based, low-risk, and minimally invasive intervention that has robust evidence-based support and clear benefit as a first-line treatment for most pelvic floor disorders. In North Merrick, women finally have access to specialized care that addresses these often-overlooked health concerns with dignity and effectiveness.

Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: More Common Than You Think

Pelvic floor dysfunction is defined as abnormal function of the pelvic floor and includes conditions that can have significant adverse impacts on a woman’s quality of life, including urinary incontinence (stress, urge, and mixed), fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, sexual dysfunction, diastasis recti abdominis, pelvic girdle pain, and chronic pain syndromes. What many women don’t realize is that nearly half of American women will suffer from urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse at some point in their lives, and many will also suffer from bothersome symptoms of overactive bladder.

The scope of these issues extends far beyond what many consider normal aging. Pelvic floor dysfunction can cause voiding and defecation problems, pelvic organ prolapse (POP), sexual dysfunction, and pelvic pain. Additionally, as many as 44 percent of women will experience some form of sexual dysfunction, including decreased desire, arousal, ability to achieve orgasm, satisfaction, or painful intercourse, during their lifetime.

The Power of Specialized Physical Therapy

PFPT is a program of functional retraining to improve pelvic floor muscle strength, endurance, power, and relaxation in patients with pelvic floor dysfunction. Unlike traditional approaches that often focus solely on medication or surgery, pelvic floor physical therapy addresses the root cause of dysfunction through targeted muscle retraining and education.

Pelvic floor therapy is physical therapy that targets muscles in the pelvic floor to help treat pain, weakness, and tightness and the symptoms that go along with them. By working with a pelvic floor therapist, you can retrain your muscles and gain back control of your body and your life.

The treatment approach is comprehensive and may include soft tissue mobilization, bowel and bladder retraining, internal and external biofeedback, joint mobilization, myofascial release, core integration strategies, and therapeutic exercises for strength, flexibility, and relaxation.

Evidence-Based Results That Transform Lives

Research consistently demonstrates the effectiveness of pelvic floor physical therapy. Based on the available evidence, PFPT with or without supplemental modalities can improve or cure symptoms of urinary incontinence, POP, fecal incontinence, peripartum and postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and hypertonic pelvic floor disorders, including pelvic floor myofascial pain, dyspareunia, vaginismus, and vulvodynia.

The goal of pelvic floor physical therapy is to ease your symptoms so that you can get back to your daily routine. This includes being able to control your bladder better or take part in sports and exercises that you enjoy. Physical therapy can also ease the discomfort and pain that women may feel during sex.

Personalized Care in the Comfort of Your Home

Understanding that accessing traditional clinic-based care can be challenging for many women, especially those dealing with mobility issues or recovering from surgery, innovative providers are bringing specialized care directly to patients’ homes. Since 2010, we have specialized in bringing professional physical and occupational therapy directly to your home. We understand that getting to a clinic can be challenging, especially when you’re recovering from surgery, dealing with mobility issues, or managing chronic conditions.

For North Merrick residents seeking this type of care, a physical therapist north merrick can provide the specialized attention needed for pelvic floor dysfunction in a comfortable, private setting. Our licensed therapists deliver personalized physical and occupational therapy in the comfort of your home—helping seniors improve mobility, safety and independence without travel.

What to Expect During Treatment

Many women feel anxious about seeking help for pelvic floor issues due to embarrassment or uncertainty about what treatment involves. However, each physical therapy session will take place in a private treatment room so you can talk to your therapist one-on-one. During your first appointment, you and your therapist will talk about your concerns, your medical history and your treatment goals.

With your permission, we will perform an external and internal exam of your pelvic floor muscles. These exams help us check how strong, tense, coordinated and mobile those muscles are. The evaluation process is designed to be as comfortable as possible, with care taken to make you as comfortable as possible with the exam.

Treatment typically involves patients scheduled for visits once a week for approximately 12 sessions; each person needs a different number of sessions. The approach is highly individualized, with therapists assessing strength, balance, mobility, and daily needs, then building a plan focused on safety, independence, and real progress. We treat you in your home, adjust weekly, and measure improvements so you move better, feel stronger, and stay confident.

Breaking Down Barriers to Care

Have you avoided seeking help for a pelvic floor issue because you’re embarrassed to talk to your medical provider about it? The truth is: there is nothing to be embarrassed about, and you don’t have to live with your symptoms. Pelvic floor dysfunction affects many people and is treatable.

In many cases, people don’t know about the nonsurgical treatment options available to manage or resolve pelvic floor problems – and as a result, they deal with bothersome symptoms longer than they need to. Pelvic floor physical therapy can be a great, conservative option for people who want relief from their symptoms without a procedure.

Comprehensive Women’s Health Support

Modern pelvic floor therapy extends beyond basic muscle training. Pregnancy and postpartum pelvic floor therapy, including treatment of pelvic girdle pain, diastasis recti abdominis (separation of abdominal muscles), Cesarean scar weakness and/or pain, perineal healing postpartum and urinary and bowel leakage are all within the scope of specialized care.

Additionally, you don’t have to wait until these issues start — working with a pelvic floor therapist as early as the second trimester can help prevent certain problems from developing.

Taking the First Step Toward Recovery

If you’re experiencing symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, know that effective, compassionate care is available right in North Merrick. Physical therapy for pelvic pain is considered a very low-risk treatment, and the benefits can be life-changing.

Our patients regain independence, prevent falls, and return to activities they love—all from home. Don’t let embarrassment or the assumption that these issues are “normal” prevent you from seeking the care you deserve. Pelvic floor physical therapy offers a path to reclaiming your quality of life, confidence, and overall well-being.

Remember, these issues are, in most cases, very treatable. The first step is reaching out to a qualified provider who understands the unique challenges women face and can provide the specialized care needed to address pelvic floor dysfunction effectively and compassionately.