PFPT Diagnoses Pt Phrases + Helpful Statistics

"I always have to pee." "I can’t make it to the bathroom in time."

Urinary Frequency or Urgency
Affects up to 33% of women and 16% of men

"I can't make it to the bathroom in time"

"I know where all the bathrooms are"

“I can’t stop leaking.”

Urinary Incontinence
(in-con-tin-nus)

1 in 3 women will experience incontinence in their lifetime

especially common after childbirth

"I pee when I sneeze/laugh."

"I don't run any more"

Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
(in-con-tin-nus)

Women with SUI at 3 months postpartum have a 92% change of having SUI at 5 years

"It takes forever to start peeing."

"I have to push to go."

"I have to really concentrate to relax to pee"

Urinary Hesitancy or difficulty starting urine

Common in men over 50 and in women with pelvic floor tension

"I feel like I never fully go." "I pee, then I have to go again."

Incomplete Bladder Emptying

Seen in up to 20% of postpartum women

“I’m waking at night one or more times to pee”

Nocturia (nok-toor-ee-uh)

Affects 1 in 3 adults over age 30

"It burns to pee but my test is negative."

"My bladder always hurts."

"I always feel like I have to pee"

"It feels like I have a UTI"

"I feel pressure in my bladder."

Interstitial Cystitis (in-ter-stish-uhl sis-tie-tis)

70-85% of patients with IC have pelvic floor muscle tightness, which PF tightness often mimics bladder pain/irritation, urinary urgency or frequency.

90% are women

"I can't control when I poop." "I have accidents if I don’t get to a bathroom fast enough."

Fecal Incontinence (fee-kuhl in-kon-tuh-nuhns)

Affects up to 1 in 12 adults in the U.S.

"I can’t go without straining." "I only poop a few times a week."

Constipation (kon-stuh-pay-shuhn)

Affects 1 in 6 adults; more common in women and older adults

"When I have to go, I have to go NOW."

Fecal Urgency (fee-kuhl ur-juhn-see)
Common in people with IBS or post-partum

"I poop, but feel like I still have to go."

Incomplete Evacuation (in-kom-pleet ee-vak-yoo-ay-shuhn)
Frequently reported in people with chronic constipation

"Something feels like it’s falling out when I poop."

Rectal Prolapse (rek-tuhl proh-laps)
More common in older women and people with chronic constipation

“I’ve got hip/ back pain”

General Pelvic pain

22% of musculoskeletal problems are associated with PF dysfunction and pain.

Chronic pelvic floor are often related to hip and back problems

"It hurts to sit for long."

"I can’t on hard chairs or hard surfaces."

Coccydynia (kok-sih-din-ee-uh)

"A dull ache that gets worse as the day goes on."

Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
(pel-vik kun-jes-chun sin-drohm)

Affects approximately 8% of premenopausal women with chronic pelvic pain.

"I have horrible periods."

"Sex and bowel movements hurt."

Doctor's might have put them on birth control for management

Endometriosis (en-doh-mee-tree-oh-sis)

Affects 1 in 10 women

It takes an average 7.5 years for diagnosis for endo

"It burns or stings all the time down there."

"It feels like there's sandpaper or acid on my skin."

“Feels like I’m on fire down there”

“Feels like razor blades”

"I can't wear tight pants or clothing"

They might think they have pudendal neuralgia

Vulvodynia
(vul-voh-din-ee-uh)

57% of women consult 3 or more healthcare providers before getting a diagnosis

3 out of 4 women have pain during intercouse at some time during their lives

Almost all patients w/ vulvodynia also have IC/painful bladder syndrome

"It feels sharp or stabbing."

"I have pain every time I try to have sex."

Avoidance of intimacy due to fear of pain

Dyspareunia
"Dis-par-un-e-ya"

62% of postpartum mothers still have dyspareunia at 3 months

"Sex is impossible"

“It feels like I'm hitting a wall.”

“I’ve never been able to insert a tampon.”

They're often told by doctors to "drink more wine", "use more lube", or "just relax"

Vaginismus
(vaj-uh-ni-muhs)

Many people go years without a diagnosis—often misattributed to anxiety or “being in their head”

"Sharp stabbing pain in my butt"

Proctalgia Fugax

(prok-TAL-jee-uh FYU-gaks)

"It feels like a golf ball in my rectum."

"A dull ache or pressure in the pelvis"

Levator Ani Syndrome
(luh-vay-ter ay-nye sin-drohm)

85% of patients with LAS showed dyssynergic defecation

"Sitting makes my pain worse."

"It burns or aches between my legs."

"Feels like I'm sitting on something (ex: golf ball)

Pudendal Neuralgia (pyoo-den-dul nur-al-juh)

"It hurts to put pants on."

"It hurts to get out of the bed."

"Feels like I got kicked in the crotch"

Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction
(pew-bik sim-fuh-sis dis-fuhngk-shun)

Seen in 1 in 5 pregnant people

"I have pain near the back of my hips or butt."

SI Joint Pain (ess-eye joint pān)

Seen in 20% of pregnant and postpartum individuals

"My back or hip hurts and nothing seems to help."

Hip / Low Back Pain (hip / loh bak pān)

Very common in men who sit long hours or lift frequently

"It hurts to move, sit, or during intimacy."

Groin Pain (groyn pān)

Seen in athletes, post-surgery, and men with PFD

"I want to be ready for birth."

Birth Preparation

PT can reduce pushing time and tearing risk

"My belly bulges when I sit up."

"I still look pregnant"

"I can't get rid of this mommy pooch"

Diastasis Recti (die-uh-stay-sis rek-tye)

Occurs in up to 60% of postpartum people

DRA is normal in pregnancy, but shouldn’t continue 8 weeks post partum

High correlation between DR and pelvic floor dysfunction

"My scar feels tight or tender."

"I have a shelf around my scar"

"I want my core to get stronger"

Scar Adhesion (skar ad-hee-zhun)

A c-section cuts through 9 layers cut so it's a major abdominal surgery

"Walking or rolling over hurts." "I feel unstable in my pelvis."

Pelvic Girdle Pain (pel-vik gur-duhl pān)

Affects up to 45% of pregnant individuals

"It feels like something is falling out."

Pelvic Organ Prolapse (pel-vik or-guhn proh-laps)

Affects nearly 50% of women over age 50

"I feel pressure in my vagina." "I pee more often."

Cystocele (sis-toh-seel)
Most common type of pelvic organ prolapse

"I need to press to poop."

Rectocele (rek-toh-seel)

Often underdiagnosed; increases with age and parity

"I feel heaviness or pressure down there."

Uterine Prolapse (yoo-tur-in proh-laps)

More common in postmenopausal women

"I feel a bulge after my surgery."

Vaginal Vault Prolapse (vaj-uh-nuhl vawlt proh-laps)

Occurs in 10-40% of post-hysterectomy patients

"Something feels like it’s falling out when I poop."

Rectal Prolapse (rek-tuhl proh-laps)

More common in older women and people with chronic constipation

"My penis feels hard but not fully erect and is uncomfortable."

Hard Flaccid Syndrome (hard flak-sid sin-drohm)

Very common in men ages 20–40

"Pain in my pelvis, testicles, or when I pee."

Chronic Prostatitis (kron-ik prahs-tuh-tie-tis)

Affects 10–15% of men; most common urologic diagnosis in men under 50

"I’m leaking after my prostate surgery."

Prostatectomy Care (prahs-tuh-tek-tuh-mee kayr)

Up to 80% of men have temporary incontinence after surgery

"I can’t get or keep an erection."

Erectile Dysfunction (ih-rek-tile dis-fuhngk-shun)

Affects over 50% of men over 50

"I finish too quickly during sex."

Premature Ejaculation (pree-myur ee-jak-yoo-lay-shun)

Most common male sexual disorder, affecting 1 in 3 men

"I pee during sex or orgasm."

Coital Incontinence (koy-tuhl in-kon-tuh-nuhns)

Affects 10-27% of women with incontinence

"I feel turned on all the time, and it's not pleasurable."

Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD) (per-sis-tuhnt jen-i-tl uh-row-zuhl dis-or-dur)

Rare and underdiagnosed; more common in women