Analysis of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Urinary Incontinence

This report examines pelvic floor dysfunction and urinary incontinence, common issues particularly affecting women. It begins with an introduction to the pelvic floor muscles and their function, highlighting how their impairment can lead to urinary incontinence, defined as the involuntary leakage of urine. The report details the causes of pelvic floor dysfunction, including childbirth, obesity, pelvic surgery, and genetic factors. It then discusses the different types of urinary incontinence, such as stress, urge, and overflow incontinence, along with their associated symptoms, like frequent urination and painful intercourse. The essentials of diagnosis, including the use of surface electrodes and perinometers, are outlined. The report further explores various treatment options, including physical therapies, exercises like Kegel exercises and biofeedback therapy, and pelvic floor retraining. It also addresses the emotional and social setbacks associated with these conditions and provides insights into essential nursing interventions, such as a holistic approach to patient care, psychological management, and online support groups. The conclusion emphasizes that urinary incontinence is a symptom, not a disease, and a proper management plan can significantly improve the quality of life for affected individuals. The report includes references to relevant research papers.

Pelvic floor dysfunction and urinary incontinence

Introduction
• Pelvic floor muscles of the body provides support to
the different pelvic organs.
• It can get impaired in elderly women which may lead
to urinary incontinence.
• Urinary incontinence may be defined as the
involuntary leakage of Urine. This is a common
problem found in about most of the female
population.

What are Pelvic floor muscles?
• Group of muscles found in the pelvis .
• Responsible for supporting the organs of the
pelvis.
• A Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when one is
unable to control the muscles of that area

Pelvic floor dysfunction
• A Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when one is
unable to control the muscles of that area.
• may be caused due to problems in the lower
back, sacroiliac joint, coccyx, hip joints.

Types of Pelvic floor disorders
• Urinary incontinence
• Fetal incontinence
• Prolepses of the pelvic organs.

Causes of Pelvic floor dysfunction
• Childbirth- vaginal delivery weakens the pelvic
floor muscles that are required for the bladder
control.
• Obesity
• Pelvic surgery or radiation treatment.
Radiation treatment can damage the tissue
and the nerves of the pelvic floor.
• Lifting of loads .
• Genetic factors.

Urinary incontinence
• Involuntary leakage of urine.
• Involuntary leakage can be caused due to
exertion, or on coughing or sneezing.
• Urinary incontinence is caused by dysfunction
of the pelvic muscle floor (Wood & Anger,
2014) .

Types of urinary incontinence
• stress incontinence
• urinary urge incontinence
• overflow incontinence
• Functional incontinence
• Mixed incontinence.

Symptoms
• Urinary incontinence
• Painful urination
• Incomplete bowel movement
• Frequent needs of Urination
• Painful intercourse

Essentials of diagnosis
• By placing surface electrodes on the
Perineum.
• Perinometer can also be placed inside the
vagina.
• Weak flow of urine.

Treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction and urinary incontinence
• Physical therapies (Shamliyan, Wyman & Kane,
2012)-
 Mobilization of external and internal soft tissues.
 Myofascial and trigger point release
 massage of deep tissues
 visceral manipulation
 Transcutanous electrical stimulation of nerve.
 Heat and cold therapy.

Exercises
• Kegel exercises
• Biofeed back
therapy
• Pelvic floor retaining

Emotional setback
• Can affect the women and elderly
persons negatively.
• Embarrassment.
• constraints in activities and sports.
• Social widrawal.

Social issues
• The patient feels uncomfortable to discuss the
problems.
• Avoid social gatherings.
• Loss of Independence.
• Loss of self respect and self esteem.
• Social insularity.
• Reduction in the personal activity.

Nursing Interventions
• Holistic approach in care for the women and
elderly persons.
• Proper psychological management can bring
about a change in the quality of the patient’s
life.
• Online support groups for the patients.

conclusion
• Urinary incontinence cannot be called as a
disease, but a symptom. It can be caused due
to underlying medical conditions or physical
problems. A thorough assessment by the
doctor can help understand, the reasons
behind the incontinence. A proper
management can bring about change in the
quality of the patient’s care.

References
• Bø, K. (2012). Pelvic floor muscle training in
treatment of female stress urinary incontinence,
pelvic organ prolapse and sexual dysfunction. World
journal of urology, 30(4), 437-443.
• Buurman, M. B. R., & Lagro Janssen, A. L. M.‐
(2013). Women’s perception of postpartum pelvic
floor dysfunction and their help seeking behaviour:‐
a qualitative interview study. Scandinavian journal
of caring sciences, 27(2), 406-413.

References
• FitzGerald, M. P., Payne, C. K., Lukacz, E. S., Yang, C. C., Peters, K.
M., Chai, T. C., ... & Mayer, R. (2012). Randomized multicenter
clinical trial of myofascial physical therapy in women with
interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and pelvic floor
tenderness. The Journal of urology, 187(6), 2113-2118.
• Shamliyan, T., Wyman, J., & Kane, R. L. (2012). Nonsurgical
treatments for urinary incontinence in adult women: Diagnosis
and comparative effectiveness.
• Wood, L. N., & Anger, J. T. (2014). Urinary incontinence in
women. Bmj, 349(15), 4531-4542.