If you or a loved one is suffering from Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Dec 1-7, 2020 may not be a week to celebrate. But it is National Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week, and that gives us a chance to talk about treatment of Crohn’s and Colitis with Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy.
The signs and symptoms of Crohn’s and Colitis are as unique as the people facing them, but there are some common primary and secondary symptoms of Crohn’s including:
Primary Symptoms of Crohn's
- Abdominal Pain and Cramping
- Increased Bowel Urgency
- Constipation
- Persistent Diarrhea
Secondary Symptoms (Complications) of Crohn's
- Fatigue (e.g., reduced endurance)
- Weakness (e.g., reduced muscle size, power, and strength)
Whether you are suffering from primary symptoms of Crohn’s or are having secondary complications right now, if you haven’t considered a pelvic floor physical therapist (PFPT) for your treatment team, now might be the perfect time. A PFPT is an expert in the lower abdomen and pelvis, she can provide treatment and support across all of these symptoms and more.
Treat your symptoms of Crohn’s and Colitis with Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
Let’s break down how a physical therapist might help treat your symptoms of Crohn’s and Colitis:
- Pelvic Pain is one area that a PFPT specializes in treating. Often this is pain in the low back or during intercourse, but when it comes to Crohn’s your PT can assess where the pain is coming from and provide stretching and exercises targeted at reducing the pain and improving your strength. One technique that your PT may employ to help reduce your pain, is pain neuroscience education, which has been very helpful with our patients in reducing and managing their pain.
- Urgency of bowel or bladder is a commonly treated symptom of pelvic floor dysfunction. Your Pelvic Floor PT will focus on strengthening the muscles of your pelvic floor to slow the urgency while also working on maintaining your sensation of bowel function.
- Constipation is a less common symptom treated by pelvic floor physical therapists, but not because it cannot be treated. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for Constipation will focus on increased bowel motility and proper postural alignment for defecation. One special type of manual therapy that can aid in the movement of your bowels is the “I Love You” massage.
- Persistent Diarrhea is another area similar to constipation with a focus on proper elimination, and improved sensation and perception of the urge to defecate before it gets to the point of being problematic.
- Fatigue is not often thought of by people in general as something that a physical therapist can treat. People often view Physical Therapy as taxing and so they want to avoid it. The truth is by engaging in physical therapy and strengthening your body, especially your core, has been shown to reduce fatigue and improve your energy.
- Similar to fatigue, a physical therapist can help improve your weakness across all of your muscle groups. Your physical therapist is an expert in treating muscle dysfunction and pain. The pain and pelvic floor weakness that come from Crohn’s and colitis are only unique in terms of where the muscles are in your body, but rest assured that your PFPT is trained specifically to address these issues.
Your pelvic floor physical therapist, in particular, may use therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, and biofeedback. Including these techniques into your plan of care can address incontinence, reduce pain and prevent scar tissue formation, and may prevent unnecessary surgical intervention.
When it comes to fatigue or weakness, you might be asking, “Why can’t I just exercise on my own?”
You could, but an exercise program supervised by a physical therapist will be 1) structured for your specific needs (and will likely include a formal assessment of your health and fitness level), 2) monitored to ensure proper form, and 3) reviewed to ensure that you are safe to independently exercise (patients with IBD may be more susceptible to dehydration, malnutrition, or neurological dysfunction).
There is work still to be done, but recent research suggests that Physical Therapy is underutilized in the IBD population. It doesn’t have to be. If you’re not using PT, why not give us a chance to help you Love Your Life!
-FYZICAL Oklahoma City
FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers of Oklahoma City provides pelvic floor physical therapy in Lakeside, The Village, Nichols Hills and surrounding NW Oklahoma City. Our pelvic floor physical therapists are specially trained to treat all types of pelvic floor dysfunction including incontinence in men and women. Our practitioners take a patient-centered individualized approach that focuses on your pelvic health needs. If you are unsure about your pelvic health, or you want to see the FYZICAL Difference for yourself, schedule a free consultation today.
References
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/
Initially Published 12-12-2018