Cervical Health Awareness Month - How Women's Health Physical Therapy Can Help
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. According to the CDC, about 13,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. About 38% of women who have struggled with cervical cancer experience chronic pelvic pain amongst other symptoms such as discomfort while urinating, urinary incontinence, pain during intercourse, and more. Women's health physical therapy is an emerging specialization in the field that addresses these special healthcare needs of women.
Women's health physical therapy typically targets the pelvic floor to improve the stability of the pelvis to eliminate pain. Women's health therapists are trained to identify the musculoskeletal factors associated with pain. These therapists then use a variety of research-based treatment options such as manual therapy, exercises to improve muscular balance and control, neuromuscular reeducation to restore normal joint mobility, and more.