Anterior Levator Ani

Do you have…

…bladder infection symptoms, but the urinalysis comes back reporting there is no infection?

…a constant need to pee?

…pain around the ovaries?

…lower abdominal cramping?

…pain with sex, especially with deeper penetration?

All of these symptoms can all be caused by one condition; a trigger point in the anterior levator ani pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor can be tricky to diagnose as the issue because it often causes pain outside of the vagina. Trigger points in the pelvic floor can refer to the bladder, lower abdomen, hips, and low back. With the exception of pain with sex, the pelvic floor does not often cause vaginal pain.

A sensation of pain coming from the bladder or ovaries can be alarming, especially since we can’t see the area to determine the severity of the injury or problem. Many of our patients at the Max Health Prospect Street Clinic have undergone ultrasounds, and other medical tests and procedures only to be told that everything looks fine, but the patient does not feel fine.

If you experience one or all five of the symptoms above, consider having your pelvic floor muscles assessed by a physiotherapist with focused training in the pelvic floor. As part of the assessment, with your consent, the physiotherapist will insert a gloved finger vaginally for an internal exam.

The pelvic floor physiotherapist will apply light pressure to each of the muscles in your pelvic floor. It is easy for you and your physiotherapist to determine whether the pelvic floor is causing your pain. As the physiotherapist applies pressure to the anterior levator ani muscles, it will reproduce (or turn on) the symptoms you are experiencing. When the pressure is released from the anterior levator ani muscles, the symptoms will diminish (or turn off.) If your pain can be reproduced during the exam, it most often can be fixed.  With education and exercises that can perform at home, many patients see complete resolution of their symptoms.

Pelvic floor physiotherapy is a conservative form of care with little to no side effects or risks. Generally, there are no wait times to get a physiotherapy appointment. You do not need a referral to book an appointment; however, your private insurance may require in order to submit your claim. In most cases, Max Health is able to direct bill private insurance companies (i.e. Blue Cross, Canada Life, SunLife, Johnson’s). We recommend checking the details of your policy prior to booking your assessment.

For more information, or to book an appointment, please call our Administrative Team at 506-451-6837 ext 2 or e-mail info2@maxhealthfred.ca

YOUR HEALTH. OUR PRIORITY!

How to Manage Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of many forms of arthritis often diagnosed with age.  It frequently presents in the neck, low back, hips, knees, and hands. When osteoarthritis occurs in the neck and low back, it is often referred to as ‘degenerative disc disease’.

What happens?

With OA, the cartilage within a joint begins to breakdown and the underlying bone begins to change. These changes usually develop slowly and get worse over time. OA can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling. It can reduce function and increase disability resulting in loss of daily tasks or activities. Arthritis can be miserable and debilitating.

Here’s the Good News!

There are substantial high-quality research articles supporting patients with OA benefiting from physiotherapy. Physiopedia states ‘Physiotherapy is important part of OA management and will be instrumental in teaching people to: properly use joints; exercise correctly in both motion and flexibility exercises as well as cardiovascular exercises, recommend assistive devices, recommend use of modalities.’

It’s like finances, if you ‘invest’ in properly rehabbing your arthritic joint, this can ‘pay dividends’ down the road and you can reap the benefits such as preventing surgery, increasing your quality of life, and reducing the amount of pain medication.

The American Journal of Neuroradiology (2014) demonstrated that by the time someone reaches their mid-60’s they are 85-90% more likely to have degenerative disc disease. In their 80’s, people are nearly 100% guaranteed to have OA. However, the interesting aspect about this article was that these arthritic individuals had no pain. The significance of this article summarizes that it is only a matter of time before we all have OA, but that does not mean we all have to live with pain in our knees, low back, or necks. Sometimes we do need to opt for surgery or medications, but research overwhelmingly supports conservative management like physiotherapy. For most conditions, physical therapies should be your first line of defense against OA symptoms.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis (OA)

• Pain: can be present at rest or with movement of the joint
• Tenderness: may be tender with touch
• Stiffness of the joints: difficult to move the joint(s) after being inactive
• Swelling: inflammation of a joint, could also feel warm to the touch
• Decreased range of motion: reduced flexibility in movements
• Grinding Sensation: with the bending and straightening of the joint(s)
• Unusual sounds: clicks, pops, and crackles sounds called crepitus

How can the physiotherapy, athletic therapy, and chiropractic services at Max Health?

1. Provide evidence-based arthritic education to better understand your condition.
2. Reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness.
3. Improve mobility and restore the functional use of affected joints.
4. Increase strength to support the joints affected.
5. Maintain fitness to prevent other health concerns.
6. Education on how to avoid further pain and prevent future episodes.
7. Your therapy plan will be based on your specific goals.

At Max Health, your physiotherapist, athletic therapist, or chiropractor may include the following in your treatment plan:

1. Educate you on proper posture and body mechanics to relieve pain and improve function.
2. Provide hands-on manual therapy.
3. Give you a customized therapeutic home exercise program.
4. Perform acupuncture or dry needling.
5. Utilize modalities as needed such as IFC to reduce pain.
6. Suggest massage therapy which can be effective in increasing blood flow, reducing soft tissue adhesions, and relieving acute or chronic inflammation.

Osteoarthritis is a normal process of aging, but the pain should only be temporary. Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try. If you have been experiencing pain or stiffness with osteoarthritis, give Max Health services a try! Max Health is passionate about improving quality of life, staying active, and empowering our clients.

YOUR HEALTH. OUR PRIORITY!