Pelvic floor health affects more than bladder control. These muscles also play an important role in circulation, stability, muscle control, and aspects of sexual wellness for both men and women. When the pelvic floor becomes weak or underactive, it can affect confidence, comfort, and quality of life in ways many people do not immediately recognize.
At Carolina Rehab and Physical Medicine Center, Dr. Strickland offers a pelvic floor chair designed to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles through non-invasive electromagnetic stimulation. While pelvic floor treatment is often associated with urinary control, improving pelvic floor strength may also support pelvic floor health and sexual wellness for both men and women.
What Is the Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports the bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. These muscles help provide stability, circulation, and muscular control throughout the pelvic region.
Healthy pelvic floor muscles contribute to several important functions, including:
- Bladder and bowel support
- Muscle tone and stability
- Circulation in the pelvic region
- Sexual wellness and sexual health
- Control and coordination of pelvic muscles
Because these muscles serve multiple functions, weakness can affect more than one area of health.
How Pelvic Floor Health Affects Sexual Wellness in Men and Women
Pelvic floor muscles can weaken for a variety of reasons. Pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, aging, chronic coughing, excess weight, heavy lifting, surgery, prostate-related issues, and muscle deconditioning can all contribute to reduced pelvic floor strength.
When pelvic floor muscles lose strength or coordination, some people notice changes related to sexual health and wellness.
For women, pelvic floor weakness may contribute to reduced muscle tone, changes in sensation, or decreased confidence. Hormonal changes associated with menopause can also affect tissues throughout the pelvic region.
For men, pelvic floor weakness may play a role in changes involving muscle control, circulation, erectile function, or ejaculation control. Prostate-related changes and aging can also affect pelvic floor performance.
Not every concern involving sexual wellness is caused by pelvic floor weakness, but healthy pelvic muscles are an important part of overall pelvic function.
Why Traditional Pelvic Floor Exercises Do Not Always Work
Many people have heard of Kegel exercises for strengthening the pelvic floor. While these exercises may be helpful, they are not always easy to perform correctly. Some people are unsure whether they are activating the right muscles, while others struggle to maintain a consistent routine.
The deeper pelvic muscles can also be difficult to engage through exercise alone.
That is one reason interest has grown in treatment approaches that provide more targeted pelvic floor stimulation.
How a Pelvic Floor Chair Works
Carolina Rehab and Physical Medicine Center offers a pelvic floor chair that uses therapeutic electromagnetic stimulation to activate pelvic floor muscles.
During treatment, patients remain fully clothed and sit comfortably in the chair while electromagnetic energy stimulates the pelvic floor. Each 20-minute session produces thousands of rapid muscle contractions designed to engage muscles that can be difficult to activate through traditional exercise.
Patients may notice a pulsing or tightening sensation during treatment, but the procedure is non-invasive, adjustable to comfort level, and requires no recovery time.
The goal is to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles and support improved neuromuscular control. Improved muscle strength and control may also support broader pelvic floor health and sexual wellness.
Who May Benefit from a Pelvic Floor Chair?
A pelvic floor chair may be beneficial for adults experiencing concerns related to pelvic floor weakness, including:
- Changes related to aging or menopause
- Pelvic floor weakness after pregnancy or childbirth
- Bladder control concerns
- Changes following prostate-related issues
- Reduced pelvic muscle strength
- Concerns related to pelvic floor health and sexual wellness
Some people seek treatment because they are experiencing changes in bladder control. Others may be looking to support aspects of sexual health and wellness, such as pelvic muscle tone, circulation, confidence, vaginal tone, erectile function, or muscle control. Because pelvic floor muscles influence multiple aspects of health, strengthening them may support overall pelvic wellness for both men and women.
Pelvic Floor Health Is Part of Overall Wellness
Conversations about sexual wellness can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but pelvic floor health is an important medical topic for both men and women.
Strong, healthy pelvic muscles contribute to support, circulation, muscle control, and overall function throughout the pelvic region and are an important part of pelvic floor health and sexual wellness for both men and women. Addressing pelvic floor weakness may help improve quality of life, confidence, and aspects of sexual health and wellness.
While this blog focuses on pelvic floor health and sexual wellness, pelvic floor strength also plays an important role in bladder support and urinary control. You can learn more in our recent blog on non-surgical pelvic floor treatment options for bladder control.
If you would like to learn more about how a pelvic floor chair may help support pelvic floor health and sexual wellness, contact Carolina Rehab and Physical Medicine Center to schedule an appointment with Dr. Strickland.