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The Femina Physical Therapy Blog
Featuring original articles by our staff about current events and trends
With emphasis on vaginismus, pregnancy and postpartum best practices, treatments for incontinence, and other topics related to the health of your pelvic floor.
Featured From the Blog:
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- Written by: Staff
- 2945 Views
May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month.
Did you know that Physical Therapists are an essential member of your interdisciplinary care team?
With life expectancy increasing it is becoming more evident that bone health and fall prevention are key to a good quality of life. Osteoporosis is defined as a decrease in bone mass or a change in the structure of the bone causing the bone to be more fragile.1 If the bone is weak there is a higher chance of a fracture (bone break). The most common areas of fractures are the hip, spine, forearm, and humerus (upper arm bone). Osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually worldwide, affecting predominantly postmenopausal women. The probability of women, at menopause, of having an osteoporotic fracture exceeds that of breast cancer and the likelihood of a fracture is approximately 40%.2
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- Written by: Staff
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September is Healthy Aging Month! In recognition, this blog will talk about Menopause and how it can affect your genitals and sexual function.
What Happens During Menopause?
Menopause marks the end of the regular menstrual cycle and the transition to life beyond the reproductive period.
Babies born with female anatomy have a set number of eggs which are stored in their ovaries. The ovaries make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control monthly periods and ovulation. Menopause happens when ovaries no longer regularly release an egg every month and menstruation stops.
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- Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 8827 Views
September is Healthy Aging Month!
Curious about pelvic floor physical therapy for menopause? Read on.
You’ve probably already considered a visit to your primary care doctor and your gynecologist. But what about pelvic floor physical therapy for menopause?
About 6,000 women enter menopause every day in the US, usually between the ages of 45 and 55; and as life expectancy increases, so does the number of years most women will spend on the other side of it. Approximately half of all women can expect to live 40% of their lives in the post-menopausal stage. It makes sense to develop a solid strategy for optimal health, the earlier the better – and regular physical therapy can be an important component of that plan.
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- Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 3888 Views
The History of Estrogen Therapy - A Cure for Hot Flashes, Insomnia, Vaginal Discomfort and More?
Hello, menopause! If you’re experiencing any of those symptoms, your doctor may have recommended some form of menopausal hormone therapy.
But is it safe?
When should you start?
And which therapy is right for you?
Researchers have been trying to answer those questions for decades, often with confusing and even conflicting results. Let’s take a look at the history of estrogen therapy, and how past studies are informing the latest recommendations.
A French physician coined the word ‘menopause’ in the 1800s and advanced the revolutionary idea that the health concerns of aging women deserved medical attention. Throughout that century, doctors experimented – sometimes on themselves – with various animal hormones. The science was far from perfected; but by the 1890s, women were being treated successfully for symptoms of menopause with a powder or pill made from cow ovaries.
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- Written by: Staff
- 10016 Views
Every person with a uterus will experience menopause during their lifetime.
Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a term that describes the different genital, sexual, and urinary signs and symptoms that can occur during menopause.
The symptoms of GSM can greatly affect quality of life, so it is important to be aware the signs so that you can seek out appropriate care and support from your healthcare team.
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- Written by: Staff
- 10008 Views
What are the Links Between Menopause and Pelvic Health?
Menopause is a period of life transition for many of us. Today we will review what menopause is and how symptoms can negatively affect pelvic health, including bowel, bladder and sexual function.
What Happens During Menopause?
Menopause is an important life transition for those with female anatomy, marking the end of the regular menstrual cycle and the transition to life beyond the reproductive period.
Babies born with female anatomy have a set number of eggs which are stored in their ovaries. The ovaries make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control monthly periods and ovulation. Menopause happens when ovaries no longer regularly release an egg every month and menstruation stops.
- Details
- Written by: Staff
- 13868 Views
Tips For Scar Management and Desensitization After C-Section
Also After Hysterectomy and Other Laparoscopic Procedures
After delivery via cesarean section, hysterectomy or other laparoscopic procedure, there will be an incision site that you will have to manage according to the directions of your doctors and nurses to keep the site from becoming infected. Although the incision site will close after about 2-3 weeks, scar tissue will continue to form. It is important to begin scar massage and desensitization techniques to help prevent scar tissue build up, puckering, and ongoing pain.
Managing Scar Tissue
A trained physical therapist can perform soft tissue mobilization and other modalities such as cold laser over the scar site. As a part of your treatment, your therapist will teach you skills to manage the scars at home for the following benefits:
