Page "Interstitial cystitis" Paragraph 54

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a fairly new area of specialty for physical therapists world wide.

The goal of therapy is to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor muscles, rather than to tighten and / or strengthen them as is the goal of therapy for patients with incontinence.

Thus, traditional exercises such as Kegel exercises, can be helpful as they strengthen the muscles, however they can provoke pain and additional muscle tension.

A specially trained physical therapist can provide direct, hands on, evaluation of the muscles, both externally and internally.

While weekly therapy is certainly valuable, most providers also suggest an aggressive self-care regimen at home to help combat muscle tension, such as daily muscle relaxation audiotapes, stress reduction and anxiety management on a daily basis.

Anxiety is often found in patients with painful conditions and can subconsciously trigger muscle tension.