Urinary Tract Infections – could your pelvic floor be the cause?
Kat H 
Find out how recurrent urinary tract infections may be linked to your pelvic floor and what you can do to help
Ask any woman and they will tell you that the pelvic floor is important for urinary continence – not leaking when you laugh and being able to control the urge to go to the toilet until you actually sit on one. Very few, however, are aware that the pelvic floor may also play a part in recurrent urinary tract infections….
Hold on, aren’t urinary tract infections (UTI for short) bacterial infections? Yes, they are and you will still need other treatment for dealing with the bacteria. However, it is worth giving some attention to your pelvic floor because a few years ago research found that the pelvic floor might be one of the risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing a UTI. Now, before you start to do the “squeeze and hold your pelvic floor” exercises (also known as Kegel exercises) or, even worse, stop your urine flow in the middle of a pee, read why these exercises might be counterproductive and find out what you should do instead.
You see, a tight pelvic floor may actually increase your risk of UTIs!
Now, most of us have been taught that a strong pelvic floor is important to prevent incontinence. And that's right. However, a tight pelvic floor can stop us emptying our bladder fully. To empty our bladder, the pelvic floor has
to be able to relax fully. We need to relax the front and the back; the urethral sphincter, the “pee hole", as well as the levator ani muscle, the anus. If the pelvic floor can't relax, we might initially develop
urgency or “latchkey” incontinence, that is the urge to go to the toilet just when get to your
front door. Over time, tightness in these muscles can lead to incomplete
bladder emptying. And that’s where the problem starts! You
see, when we don’t empty our bladder fully, urine residue remains in the bladder. This remaining urine can lead to increased bacterial levels
and potentially to urinary tract infections.
What can you do to prevent this?
Correct toilet posture (yes, you read correctly!) can help you empty your bladder more fully by allowing the pelvic floor to completely relax. Try this: As you sit on the toilet, lean forward at the hips with a straight back. Rest
your
forearms on the thighs and let your tummy flop (this
is important as a tight stomach can tighten the pelvic floor and the
urethral sphincter). Ideally your feet are fully supported by the floor (being on tip toes tightens the pelvic floor and the back muscles). If necessary, put some books under your feet. That's it! Now relax your face and pee! This toilet posture incidentally works not just for pee-ing but also for poo-ing.
For some of us this alone will help. However, for others this alone won't be enough. You see, the pelvic floor is not just made up of muscles which are under voluntary control, that means you can squeeze and relax them at will. In fact, the pelvic floor is largely made up of fascia and that is a bit more complex. Fascia is affected by hormonal changes, inflammation and aging; it can develop scars that make it inflexible and it responds to our emotions. So a fascial pelvic floor treatment plan is more comprehensive than just squeezing and releasing the muscles and usually involves a mix of mindfulness, alignment, whole-body exercises, breathing, as well as relaxation. If there is scarring, you may even benefit from self-massage with a pelvic wand. A fascial pelvic floor specialist can help to develop a treatment plan for you.
Movement will usually be a part of a pelvic floor treatment plan. There is no "one-fits-all": a pelvic floor class can be tailored to your preferences. The exercises can be gentle and focusing on awareness, like the Feldenkrais-inspired movement below; or mindful and calming, like Chi Gong or Yoga-based; or even functional-gym or fitness based. Here is a short video with an awareness-through-movement Feldenkrais-based class:
What else you can do to help:
1. Women's Health Specialist
Being unable to empty our bladder fully may not just be caused by a tight pelvic floor. A prolapse, even a small one, may have the same effect. A women's health specialist can usually assess that and advise you.
2. Diet
Make sure you eat a healthy diet and keep hydrated. Drink unsweetened drinks: water is always a great choice. Some herbal teas can help with urinary tract infections. A nutritional therapist or medical herbalist can advise you. They can also advise you on foods or herbs that support healthy fascia, reduce inflammation and support your mood.
3. Lifestyle
In addition to eating healthily and maintaining a healthy weight, try to exercise regularly. Don't sit for more than one hour: Get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour. Medical studies have shown that this stimulates our immune system! It is also good for your overall health and for your pelvic floor.
Make sure you sleep enough and keep stress levels at bay. Whilst it might seem strange to focus on sleep, stress and mood, they all help with general health, pelvic floor health and support your immune system.
4. Sex
In
some women, urinary tract infections can be triggered by sexual
intercourse. This may be due to various issues. An intimate health practitioners can help.
Want
to find out more about me?
I am Kat Hesse, a movement therapist with special trainings in psychosexual and pelvic floor health, medical herbalist and intimate health practitioner.
After many years of working with the pelvic floor as a movement therapist and intimate health practitioner, I trained in hypopressives with Marcel Caufriez and learned that only 20% of our pelvic floor is made up of muscles, the other 80% is fascia. It was an eye opener as it completely changes the way we need to exercise for a healthy pelvic floor. I subsequently trained as a level 2 instructor for pelvic floor rehabilitation with the Somatic Academy in Germany, a renowned centre for fascia movement and manual therapy where I learned how to develop exercise plans that also included breathing and the voice for a healthy pelvic floor.
I also have a Batchelor degree in health science (herbal medicine) which means I have extensive training in women’s health, including urinary and digestive health. In addition, I am a qualified Yoga, Chi Gong, Pilates and somatic movement, Feldenkrais and Face Yoga teacher, am qualified in relaxation techniques and also hold various qualifications in movement practices designed for rehabilitation, including for pelvic floor and digestive health. As a movement therapist I develop tailor-made health and wellbeing programmes for individuals and groups. I am presently studying for a Masters degree in Mindfulness and also hold a certificate in psychosexual counselling.
If you are interested in working with me, please contact me. I teach weekly classes for general health and wellbeing or you can work with me privately to support your health issues.
This article does not replace medical advice. See your doctor to get a proper diagnosis. Urinary tract infections can become serious. Also, urinary tract infections can have numerous underlying causes and may be linked to another medical condition you have. Therapeutic
movement can support your health condition but you may need
conventional medical treatment as well.
Interested in urinary tract infections? You might enjoy this blog: "Sense more, Feel Less - Easy Movement for releasing discomfort in your back and pelvis"
Categories: womens intimate health