If you’ve searched “pelvic floor therapy near me” and come away more confused, that’s understandable. Most people hear about it only after months or years of symptoms, a friend, or a late-night search.
I’m an Occupational Therapist, so I approach this a little differently than a purely exercise-based model. I want to know what your pelvic floor is doing during your actual life: how you move, breathe, sleep, work, and handle stress. That’s why I focus on layering what we work on into your day-to-day, so new techniques become habits you actually use, not just exercises you do in the clinic and forget.
What is pelvic floor therapy?
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of your pelvis that supports your bladder, bowel, and (for many people) the uterus or prostate. They help with bladder and bowel control, core stability, and sexual function.
These muscles can be weak, too tight, or simply poorly coordinated. Pelvic floor therapy helps you figure out which, and what to do about it, through hands-on work, movement and breathing retraining, pain education, and a plan that fits your routine.
What are the signs you might need pelvic floor therapy?
Leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise
Pain in the pelvis, hips, low back, or tailbone that hasn’t improved
Pain with sex, tampons, or pelvic exams
Constipation or straining
A heavy or dragging feeling in the pelvis
Frequent urges to pee, even when your bladder isn’t full
Symptoms that continue after pregnancy, childbirth, or surgery
*This is not an all encompassing list!
Who can benefit from pelvic floor therapy?
People of any gender and age, from postpartum parents and athletes to people living with long-term pain. Many of the people I work with have had symptoms for years and were told it was “just normal.” Integrative Pelvic Health specializes in women’s pelvic floor therapy and can recommend a trusted provider in the Seacoast for men.
What happens at a first pelvic floor therapy visit?
We start by talking: your symptoms, history, and what you want to get back to. Then I assess posture, movement, breathing, and muscle function. An internal exam can be helpful for some people but is never required, and you’re in control of every step. Many people begin with external work only.
Is pelvic floor therapy painful?
It shouldn’t be. Some techniques can feel uncomfortable, and I’ll always ask for feedback and adjust. Pain is information, and for people with chronic pelvic pain, learning to read that signal safely is part of the work.
Do I need a referral?
New Hampshire is a direct access state, so you do not need a referral to begin care. If you plan to submit superbills to your insurance, you may need a referral from your doctor.
Where can I find pelvic floor therapy near Hampton, NH?
Integrative Pelvic Health is based in Hampton and welcomes patients from across the Seacoast (Seabrook, North Hampton, Rye, Exeter, Portsmouth), Southern Maine (Kittery, York, Berwick, Eliot), and the North Shore of Massachusetts (Newburyport, Amesbury, Salisbury).
Learn more about pelvic floor therapy services or book a consultation.
This article is educational and isn’t individual medical advice.
About the author: Ashton Frey, MOT, OTR/L, is a pelvic floor occupational therapist and the founder of Integrative Pelvic Health in Hampton, NH. She works with women who are pregnant, postpartum, living with pelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction, with a focus on the connection between the nervous system, stress, and the pelvic floor.
References
Haylen BT, et al. An IUGA/ICS joint report on the terminology for female pelvic floor dysfunction. Neurourol Urodyn. 2010;29(1):4-20.
Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-Smith EJC. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;10:CD005654.
NICE. Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women: management (NG123). 2019.