
When Chronic Prostatitis Doesn’t Involve the Prostate
But, again I ask, what if the prostate is not the problem? Right below the prostate are the pelvic floor muscles. This group of muscles supports the prostate and the bladder. They also have a role in urinary function. With increased muscle tightness, the urethra is not able to completely open, creating the same urinary symptoms. Tight pelvic floor muscles also correspond with the pain symptoms these men experience. Pain with sitting, standing, walking, sports, playing with their kids, and having a bowel movement.
Deeper in the pelvis, are the layers of muscles called the levator ani muscles. These muscles act as support for the low back, hips, sacrum and tailbone, and abdominal organs. If these muscles have trigger points or areas of tightness, they can produce many of the painful symptoms these men experience. When I palpate these muscles during an evaluation, many times my client will tell me, “That is my pain!”.
So what can physical therapy do for “Chronic Prostatitis?” Well, it turns out quite a lot. In a recent study by Dr. Colleen FitzGerald (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2872169/), men had a 57% improvement with physical therapy with a focus on myofascial mobility compared to a massage. This shows a significant improvement and is even a significantly more effective treatment then medications (http://www.intechopen.com/books/clinical-management-of-complicated-urinary-tract-infection/chronic-prostatitis-chronic-pelvic-pain-syndrome).
So, let’s take the prostate out of the corner! If you have been experiencing pelvic related pain and have not been able to find a cause or a definitive diagnosis, find a trained pelvic floor physical therapist and rule in or out the pelvic floor muscles. We can make a huge difference in helping with your treatment.
– Jennifer Cumming, PT, MSPT, CLT, WCS
This blog is here for your help. It is the opinion of a Licensed Physical Therapist. If you experience the symptoms addressed you should seek the help of a medical professional who can diagnose and develop a treatment plan that is individualized for you. If you enjoyed this blog, check out our website at foundationalconcepts.net for more blog entries and to learn more about our specialty PT practice, Foundational Concepts. Follow us on Twitter @SarahpelvicPT or @Jenn_pelvic_PT or @AmandaFisherPT and like us on Facebook/Foundational Concepts for updates.