Pelvic Health and Alignment

The muscles of the pelvic floor are pretty amazing. They have many different roles including bladder and bowel control, supporting the pelvic organs, sexual function and core stability. During pregnancy and childbirth, these muscles take on the additional task of supporting the weight of your baby and then allowing the baby to pass through for delivery. These diagrams depict the pelvic floor muscles as they are normally and then during childbirth.  Pelvic Floor Muscles at rest Pelvic Floor Muscles when the baby is crowning Remember that this is what your body and these muscles are made to do. However, perineal tearing (tearing of the skin and muscles between the vagina and the anus) is unfortunately quite common and can occur when the muscles are not able to yield appropriately. This can lead to bladder and bowel incontinence and numerous other conditions related to pelvic floor dysfunction. For the muscles to undergo this amount of stretch and decrea...

This diagram depicts the numerous muscles of the pelvic floor. I drew it myself. A lot of pelvic health problems arise because, just like any other muscle in the body, they can become weak or tight and even have painful trigger points and areas of spasm.  This view is of a person lying on their back and looking from the feet up. All of the coloured parts are different muscles and they all work very closely together. As you can see, the muscles around the anus are a lot bigger than the ones at the front which is one reason that urinary incontinence is so common.  These muscles attach to all sides of the pelvis, therefore contributing to the stability of the joints, SIJ included. If a person has increased laxity in any of the pelvic joints, this can cause the muscles to work overtime and subsequently become tight/spasmed, creating more pain. They also attach to the coccyx and can cause tailbone pain (coccydynia) if the muscles are very tight and constantly pulling on the joi...

I can't take credit for drawing this one but I did label it! This shows the bony features of the female pelvis and where the pelvis floor muscles are located. 

Get to know your own body!  I drew you a picture! This diagram shows the external anatomy of the female genitalia.  The  mons pubis  or pubic mound provides cushioning over the pubic bone during intercourse The  Clitoral glans  is the only external part of the clitoris. Most of this organ is underneath the surface and much larger than you realise. It is also the only organ in the female or male body that is purely dedicated to sexual pleasure. Yay for us! The  Urethral opening  is the opening for urine to empty from the bladder The  Labia Majora  are the external (outer) lips of the vulva The  Labia Minora  are the inner and smaller flaps and look very different for every woman The  Vestibule  is the area within the inner lips of the labia minora but outside of the vagina The  Introitus  is the opening of the vagina The  Vagina  cannot be seen from the outside, this refers to...

Vulvodynia , p reviously known as Vulvar Vestibulitis Syndrome,  is a condition of pain in the vulvar area and can present differently for every woman. It is often characterised by stinging, burning, irritation, rawness and pain with sex and can vary in severity.  Vulvodynia has long been misunderstood until quite recently with research only emerging over the last 25 years. Finally, there are now some answers for women who have been suffering with this pain for many years, having seen numerous doctors and specialists and trialled many different treatments and medications without success.  Yes it can happen in the absence of infection, virus or any visible symptoms. NO it is not 'just in your head'! Firstly, a quick anatomy and latin lesson: The vulva  is the external female genitalia and comprises of the labia and clitoris. The vestibule is the area within the labia minora and includes the introitus or opening of the vagina. The vagina is the intern...