1 in 3 women experience women’s health problems particularly urinary incontinence during their lifetime. The unfortunate news is that up to 60% of women tolerate these problems, either too embarrassed to seek help or unaware that there are treatments available.
I am passionate about breaking down the taboo surrounding pelvic floor dysfunction particularly urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
I have worked in varying environments to deliver women’s health physiotherapy over my entire 20 year career. As a young qualified physiotherapist back in 1997 in Mayo General Hospital I started providing care on the post-natal and gynaecological wards.
During my time in Australia in my early career I worked in the hospital setting with the ante-natal population providing exercise classes.
Over the past 12 years I have worked in a very busy out-patient hospital physiotherapy department specialised in women’s health and in my own private practise for longer still seeing many female patients and I have provided this care in both one to one and educational group settings.
I promote in particular safe exercise environments where exercises are modified as needed until the core and pelvic floor are strong enough to take on more strenuous tasks.
I feel one of our current greatest issues in women’s health is the return of women too soon to challenging exercise particularly post-natally. I also feel concerned about the trends whereby women participate in exercise classes such as circuits/bootcamps without awareness of the status of their pelvic floor and core strength therefore oftentimes worsening a pelvic floor that is already weak and sometimes in my experience even causing PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE.
I fully appreciate the sensitivity around women's health related issues and the importance of providing a professional, discreet, comfortable and private environment in which women can seek advice and treatment. Confidentiality is assured at all times.
The categories of women’s health and continence patients that I help treat can be divided into the following core areas.
Ante-natal and Post-natal Care
Ante-natal/post-partum Urinary/Bowel incontinence
Post-partum scarring (Episiotomy/3rd degree tears)
Abdominal diastasis(tummy gap)
Pelvic girdle pain
Back pain
Coccydynia
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Post-Natal Assessment “Mummy Wellness Check”
“Mum and Me” Exercise and Wellness Class
Bladder/ Bowel Dysfunction
Urinary Incontinence (leakage)
Urinary Frequency/ Urgency
Overactive bladder
Pelvic Organ Prolapse of bladder, uterus and rectum.
Post anterior or posterior repairs +/- hysterectomy
Chronic Constipation
Bowel Incontinence
Pain with bowel movements
Chronic Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain is often misunderstood; it is frequently associated with an overactive pelvic floor and the presence of trigger points and tension. Reasons you could suffer from pelvic pain could include:
Trauma to the pelvic floor during childbirth.
Chronic constipation.
Adhesions following surgery.
Over-activity of the pelvic floor muscles
Direct trauma to the pelvic floor.
Injury to the sacrum or coccyx.
Unknown cause.
The pain can be diffuse throughout the pelvis or localized to one spot. Treatment is aimed at releasing these muscles and restrictions before appropriate strengthening.
Conditions treated include:
Painful intercourse
Pelvic floor / perineal pain.
Endometriosis and hormone cycle pain
Urethral / vaginal / rectal pain.
Lower abdominal pain.
Vulvodynia.
Anismus
Pudendal Neuralgia
Post-surgical pain
Painful Bladder Syndrome
Interstitial Cystitis
Abdominal Pain
I also offer treatment for men’s health conditions
Post prostatectomy
Urinary Incontinence
Bowel Conditions