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Here at Kinahealth Rockland, we know that coming in for a pelvic health assessment may be scary and you probably have some questions. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible during your time with us. Here is a breakdown of what to expect at your first appointment.
- We will listen to you without judgement.
- We will ask you questions. Sometimes these questions may seem odd or embarrassing, but they are relevant to your pelvic health and trust us, we have heard it all before!
- We may assess breathing, posture or other joints and muscles to determine if there are any non-pelvic floor contributors to your symptoms.
- We will explain what we are doing and more importantly why we are doing it along the way.
- If an internal exam is appropriate for you, we will go over it with you in detail and get your consent before proceeding. If you are not comfortable having an internal exam we can discuss alternatives.
- For the internal exam, you will be asked to undress from the waist down, lie down on your back and you will be draped. There are no instruments used—just gloves and lubrication—and it’s much gentler than a pap smear. We go very slowly and use one or two finger to feel for the tone of the muscles that wrap around the vaginal canal to assess how tense or relaxed the muscles are. Second, we will assess the strength, coordination and reflexes of the pelvic floor muscles by asking you to perform various types of kegels and movements.
- If indicated, we can also assess for prolapse vaginally and/or rectally.
- Following the internal exam we will go over our findings, we will educate you about your condition, we will provide our specific recommendations, and together we will come up with a plan to achieve your goals.
It is important to remember that you are in control of the session the entire time and if you wish not to have this exam done or change your mind and withdraw consent at any point – you can. You will never be pressured to continue with any part of the exam or treatment that you are not comfortable with. If it’s helpful, you may bring your partner or support person with you to the appointment. While examining the internal structures can be very important for diagnosis and treatment, the internal exam can always be done at a later appointment.
A common question we get is if a pelvic exam is done during your period. The answer is yes – but we totally understand if you are not comfortable with an exam during menstruation and the session can change directions to work outside of your pelvis to continue working towards your treatment goals.
It is appropriate to ask your physiotherapist questions at any time. We understand the assessment and treatment may be outside your comfort zone but we will work with you, at your pace, to achieve your goals.
If you have any further questions about what to expect, please feel free to contact our pelvic health physiotherapists.
