The Silent Struggle: How Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Impacts Men’s Health – and Why Awareness is Crucial
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A persistent need to urinate, sometimes 20 times a day, can drastically diminish quality of life. For one New York-based physiotherapist, this was a six-year nightmare – a misdiagnosis odyssey that ultimately led him to specialize in male pelvic health and advocate for greater awareness of a surprisingly common, yet often overlooked, condition.
A Six-Year Search for Answers
The man, who requested anonymity, endured years of debilitating symptoms including frequent urination, unbearable pain during bowel movements, and a constant preoccupation with locating a restroom. “This was very bad because I was constantly reorganizing my life accordingly,” he explained in an interview with Business Insider. “For example, I ride in the car, when I get coffee, ‘Wait, maybe now I shouldn’t drink coffee, this can affect me. Coffee is diuretic. Okay, I will wait until I go to work.’”
His search for relief led him to numerous doctors and a battery of tests, but a definitive diagnosis remained elusive for years. The prolonged uncertainty took a significant toll on his social life and mental well-being. He even consulted a urologist who previously treated former President Trump, yet still found no answers.
Initially, doctors attributed his symptoms to anxiety or stress, dismissing his concerns with assurances that “everything is fine.” He was prescribed antibiotics and antidepressants, neither of which provided relief. Desperate, he turned to online forums and explored unproven remedies like juice fasts and restrictive diets, ultimately realizing “most of them are not really logical.” He described feeling incredibly lonely and unsupported during this period, teetering on the brink of despair.
Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
The turning point came with pelvic floor therapy. After just four sessions, his therapist identified the root cause: a tense pelvic floor. Within six to eight months of consistent treatment – including manual therapy and targeted exercises – his symptoms vanished. Now, as a specialized physiotherapist, he’s dedicated to educating the public about the importance of the pelvic floor.
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support the bladder, intestines, and genitals, playing a critical role in urinary and bowel control, as well as sexual function. Dysfunction in these muscles can affect both men and women, though the presentation often differs. While women more commonly experience weakness in the pelvic floor, leading to incontinence, men often experience overactivity and tension.
Research indicates that approximately 16% of American men under 50 experience some form of pelvic floor dysfunction, compared to roughly 40% of women. This dysfunction can stem from a variety of factors, including stress, long-term sitting, poor posture, sexual trauma, surgery, or injury.
Beyond frequent urination, symptoms can include pain in the penis, rectum, groin, or testicles, as well as erectile dysfunction. It’s a condition that often goes undiagnosed, and many men are hesitant to seek help due to shame or embarrassment.
Diagnosing and Treating Pelvic Floor Tension
According to Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Sarıkaya, the pelvic floor functions “like a hammock that supports organs,” and is vital for both storage and release of urine, as well as sexual function. Pelvic floor tension – when the muscles are excessively tight – can manifest as a feeling of pressure in the groin, difficulty urinating, chronic pelvic pain, an urgent need to urinate, and painful sexual intercourse.
“In the diagnosis of pelvic floor tension, detailed patient story, queries forms that can be used in the diagnosis of the disease, physical examination, laboratory tests, urodynamics and biofeedback examinations and radiological imaging methods are used,” explains Dr. Sarıkaya.
Treatment options are varied and often personalized, including physiotherapy and exercises, biofeedback, medication to address accompanying urinary or sexual problems, psychological support, and heat therapy. Dr. Sarıkaya emphasizes the importance of a “personalized diagnosis and treatment plan.”
Pelvic floor tension can sometimes be confused with other conditions, such as chronic bacterial prostatitis in men, endometriosis in women, vaginismus, bladder pain syndrome, and chronic pelvic pain. A healthy individual typically urinates 4-8 times per day, though factors like fluid intake, caffeine and alcohol consumption, age, and underlying health conditions can influence frequency.
A Call for Greater Awareness
The physiotherapist’s journey underscores the critical need for increased awareness of pelvic floor dysfunction in men. His experience highlights the frustration of navigating a complex medical system and the importance of finding a healthcare provider who understands this often-misunderstood condition. He hopes to empower others to seek help, assuring them that “this problem is temporary, that they will heal when they find the right treatment, and that they will heal.” His story serves as a powerful reminder that men’s health encompasses more than just physical strength – it includes the often-silent struggles with pelvic health.
