Many women are unaware that breast cancer treatments can affect the pelvic floor region. The pelvic floor is a bowl of muscles at the bottom of the pelvis that supports the pelvic organs, and is involved in bowel, bladder and sexual function.
Various breast cancer treatments can have an effect on pelvic floor health
- Surgery: Mastectomies and/or subsequent reconstructions can change people’s posture, breathing mechanics, and trunk stability.
- Chemotherapy can cause muscle wasting, loss of lean muscle mass, peripheral neuropathy, loss of libido, and changes in fertility
- Radiation Therapy: If the pelvic region is involved, radiation therapy can cause scar tissue to form in the vagina, which can make sexual intercourse and/or a pelvic examination painful after treatment.
- Hormonal Therapy: Breast cancer treatment for many people may include an oral medication that blocks hormone production. Anti-Estrogen medications can cause weakness, thinning, and dryness in the pelvic floor region that may cause pain, tightness, weakness, and/or leakage issue. Fatigue and decreased activity along with changes in hormone levels can cause atrophy (muscle loss) in the pelvic floor muscles.
Common Pelvic Floor Issues with Breast Cancer Treatment include:
- Urinary Incontinence
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Pelvic Pain
The good news if you are experiencing any of these issues is that there are strategies for managing pelvic floor dysfunction
- Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT)
- Pelvic Floor Activation exercises, also commonly referred to as kegels, can help improve pelvic floor muscle strength and function.
- The muscle needs to be able to contract, relax, stretch, and coordinate with other muscles.
- It’s also important to work the other muscles around the area: hips, back, buttocks, and abdominals.
- Lifestyle Modifications
- Dietary changes to avoid bladder irritation
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Have regular bowel movements
- Urinate every 2 to 4 hours
- Exercise for 20- 30 minutes at least 3-4 days per week
- Partner with a Pelvic Physical Therapist
- Pelvic physical therapists are experts in the pelvic floor muscles and how they work and coordinate with other core muscles.
- They can assess your muscles to determine if they are too tight, too weak, or simply not coordinating together well with other muscles. Then based on this information, create an individual treatment plan to help you resolve your symptoms.
The impact of cancer treatment on pelvic floor function is often ignored and can be challenging to discuss with your healthcare team. It is an important component of survivorship/thriving and should not be ignored. Please know that there are interventions and treatments available to help. If you are experiencing any pelvic floor symptoms reach out to us and schedule a FREE discovery session to discuss your symptoms with one of our pelvic floor therapists!
