Is there PFT for men? [Archive] - ICN Support Forum - Interstitial Cystitis, Overactive Bladder, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Aspencad

08-01-2004, 04:35 AM

Well I go to the PT for PFD on 8/5 and will let you know if it helps. Not sure if anything will transpire on 1st visit will just be an evaluation but we will see. I talked my Doc. into writing me a prescription and giving this a try. Uro drugs were not helping me. I just have frequency/urgency no pain. I personally decided to go this route when drugs (uro) prescribed did not work. I tried several listed on this website. Tried IC diet etc..etc..etc.. Went to Neuro he suggested uro-dynamics test. Going to get that read by uro next month. In the mean time have been trying TENS seeing A LITTLE result. That is why I'm leaning towards PFD. So I suggested this to my Neuro and he said, "Well it would not hurt to try PT". So far, just like you gals, I have done more to diagnose ME than any Doctor????

Aspencad

08-04-2004, 06:27 AM

Pikku--I hope maybe this helps your husband. Just got back from my PT appointment.
We (The PT and myself) set down and talked for a long time. I told her about EVERY single accident I had ever been in (that I could remember) mainly my motorcycle accident when I was 22 (severe pelvic trama). I am now 44. I also had several hernia surgerys in my 30's. All I have is frequency/urgency (not to mention this leads to nocturia, I NEED SLEEP), no pain or anything like that. I told her about all of the drugs I had been on and we talked about my diet. After listening to me and writing all of this down she went over what she thought was the problem and what she could do to help. My uro-dynamics test says that I could possible have a stricture (this is an obstruction in the urethra). Strictures can be the result of scar tissue which builds up in any area of the pelvis (and the urethra, due to trama, I.E. accidents, surgeries, etc). She did a short evaluation of me where she had me to undress from the waist down (lie on a table) and probed up the rectum with her finger asking me if "it hurt" anywhere and then she had me to push down like I was having a bowl movement or trying to hold my urine. I did this several times. She was very nice about the whole procedure and kept asking me if she was hurting me in any way. I kept saying NO. I could tell as we were going through the procedure that when she had me to push or bear down like I was holding my urine she was checking to see how strong the muscles were around the rectum which also gives her a good idea regarding the strength around the bladder since it is the same muscle group. I noticed immediately that my clincing was stronger than my releasing. I could feel this on her finger. She agreed, and said that I was weak regarding squeezing and REAL weak on releasing. This is starting to make since because my uro-dynamics test revealed I had residual urine of 100 ccs. If my pelvic floor is weak not only will you not void all of your urine but you don't have the "strength" muscle to push everything out. The weakness in the pelvic floor is due to all the trama it has sustained over the years. I am now siting at my desk doing kegels (yes men can do them to) and am scheduled to go back in two weeks were she will do further (in depth) evaluation of my pelvic floor to get a more in-depth idea as to which side of the pelvic floor is weakest. Kind of narrow it down to an exact point. Then we can go from there. She told me to do the kegels several times a day. Not just sitting but standing and laying down. The bladder (or surrounding muscle groups. I.E. the pelvic area) has to be strengthed and retrained (in a sitting, standing, and laying position). I think bladder retraining has already been discussed on several boards here. As I said, I still have not been diagnosed with PFD or IC but started trying a TENS unit (thanks Ruth) and got some (a little) results which told me I was going in the right direction regarding my personal diagnosis. I hope some of this helps and will keep you guys informed as my therapy continues.