Pelvic floor physical therapy and your bladder

Why Am I Always Running to the Bathroom? Let's Talk About Urinary Pain and Frequency

Do you feel like you’re always looking for the nearest bathroom? If so, you’re not alone! Dealing with urinary pain or feeling like you always have to go can take over your life. But here’s the good news: pelvic floor physical therapy can help!

What causes these frustrating symptoms and how can we work together to get you feeling better?

What’s Going On With My Bladder?

Urinary pain and frequency show up in a few common ways:

• A burning sensation or feeling of pressure in the bladder

• Burning or discomfort when you pee

• Difficulty starting the stream of urine, or feeling like you have to "push" to get it going

• Feeling like you have to go ALL the time—even if you just went

• Feeling like you aren’t fully emptying your bladder

These symptoms are often mistaken for things like urinary tract infections (UTIs) and frequently your culture comes back negative- so frustrating! However, what many people don’t realize is that pelvic floor muscles are frequently part of the problem.

Meet Your Pelvic Floor

Your pelvic floor is a hammock-like group of muscles at the bottom of your pelvis. They do a lot of important stuff, like supporting your bladder, bowels, and other organs and even play a role in sex and childbirth. They also help control when you pee and when you hold it.

When those muscles aren’t working quite right—whether they’re too tight, weak, or out of sync—they can cause some big problems, including:

• Urgency: That constant “gotta-go” feeling

• Pain: Burning or discomfort, even if nothing’s wrong with your bladder

• Frequent bathroom trips: Because your bladder and muscles aren’t communicating well

This can happen for all kinds of reasons, like stress, childbirth, or even chronic conditions like painful bladder syndrome, interstitial cystitis, and endometriosis.

How Pelvic Floor PT Can Help

Here’s where we come in. Pelvic floor physical therapy is all about finding and fixing the cause of your symptoms. Think of it like hitting the reset button for your pelvic muscles and bladder. Here’s what that looks like:

1. Getting to Know You and Your Symptoms

First, we’ll take a close look at your pelvic floor, posture, and how your body’s moving. We’ll also chat about your lifestyle—like how much water you drink, your stress levels, and anything else that could be adding to the problem.

2. Hands-On Techniques

If your pelvic floor muscles are too tight or tense, we’ll use manual therapy to release that tension and help things work more smoothly. This can be a game-changer for pain and urgency!

3. Bladder Retraining

Ever feel like you’re on a bathroom timer? Bladder retraining is all about teaching your bladder and brain to chill out so you can stretch out the time between trips NOT just putting your bladder on a schedule- which tbh, can make symptoms worse! 

4. Strengthening and Relaxing

Sometimes, weak muscles are the problem. Sometimes, they’re too tight and may need help learning how to relax. Sometimes, it’s both! We’ll give you the right mix of exercises to get things back in balance.

5. Lifestyle Tips

From cutting back on bladder irritants (hello, coffee and spicy food!) to managing stress and staying hydrated, small tweaks can make a big difference.

You Deserve Relief

Here’s the bottom line: you don’t have to live with urinary pain or frequency. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help you figure out what’s really going on and give you the tools to feel better.

At Empower Yourself PT, we’re all about making sure you feel heard, supported, and comfortable. We’ll work together to create a plan that fits your goals so you can get back to doing the things you love—without worrying about your bladder.

Ready to take the first step? Schedule a consultation with us today, and let’s get you feeling better!