Relief and Recovery: Pelvic Floor Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it is a time to support those impacted by breast cancer and shed light on the unique challenges faced by survivors. For many patients, treatment is a long and demanding journey that can bring about significant changes to their overall health, including their pelvic health. Did you know that pelvic floor physical therapy can be a powerful tool for women with breast cancer, both during and after treatment? At Treasure Valley Pelvic Health, we are dedicated to providing specialized care to offer relief, restore function, and improve quality of life both during and after treatment.

How Breast Cancer Treatments Affect Pelvic Health

Treatments for breast cancer—such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapies—are life-saving but can have profound effects on the body. Some common ways these treatments impact pelvic health include:

• Hormone Therapy Side Effects: Many breast cancer patients undergo

hormone-blocking therapies to slow cancer progression. These treatments significantly lower estrogen, which can lead to vaginal dryness, thinning of the vaginal walls, and pelvic pain. These symptoms can develop during treatment and continue long after, impacting intimacy and comfort.

• Weakening of the Core and Pelvic Floor: Cancer treatments can lead to fatigue and generalized muscle weakness, impacting the core and pelvic floor muscles. This weakness can contribute to incontinence, pain, or even pelvic organ prolapse, particularly for patients who were already at risk for these conditions.

• Changes Due to Surgery and Radiation: Scar tissue from surgery, or radiation, can impact tissue mobility, posture, breathing, and overall body alignment. This can contribute to pelvic pain, or movement dysfunction.

The Role of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Supporting Recovery

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialized form of physical therapy focused on improving strength and function, and decreasing symptoms, of the pelvic girdle. For breast cancer patients, pelvic floor therapy can be an essential part of holistic support during and after treatment. Here’s how:

1. Pelvic Health Assessment and Individualized Treatment Plans: Each patient’s journey is unique, and our therapists carefully assess individual needs based on treatment history, symptoms, and goals. This personalized approach helps identify specific issues, whether related to pain, mobility, or pelvic dysfunction, and allows us to create a treatment plan tailored to support both recovery and resilience.

2. Managing Hormone Therapy Side Effects: For patients experiencing vaginal dryness and discomfort from hormone-blocking therapies, we offer targeted pelvic floor treatments to address tissue health, improve blood flow, and ease discomfort. Education on pelvic floor relaxation and strategies to support tissue hydration can also help relieve symptoms and provide better management of pelvic pain.

3. Strengthening the Core and Pelvic Floor: Breast cancer treatment often impacts core strength, which plays a crucial role in overall mobility and pelvic floor health. Our therapists guide patients through gentle strengthening exercises that focus on rebuilding the core and pelvic floor without strain, promoting stability and reducing risks of incontinence or prolapse.

4. Scar Tissue Management and Pain Relief: For patients who have had surgery, our physical therapists can use gentle scar tissue mobilization techniques to improve mobility. This can be particularly helpful for anyone with chest or shoulder stiffness after a mastectomy or lymph node removal, as pelvic health is closely connected to posture and overall movement patterns. Manual therapy, stretching, and posture exercises are also used to reduce pelvic pain and improve mobility.

5. Education and Self-Care Guidance: Understanding how to support pelvic health is essential for both physical recovery and emotional well-being. We provide patients with tools and guidance for self-care practices they can continue at home, empowering them to feel more in control of their bodies. Our therapists discuss safe movement, relaxation techniques, and daily practices to support healing.

Pelvic Health as Part of Comprehensive Cancer Care

For breast cancer patients, addressing pelvic health can be an important part of recovery, yet it’s often overlooked. Pelvic floor physical therapy provides holistic support to improve quality of life, allowing patients to better manage symptoms and regain a sense of comfort and control in their bodies.

At Treasure Valley Pelvic Health, we are here to support you during every step of your journey, both during and after treatment. If you or someone you love is dealing with pelvic health challenges related to breast cancer, contact us today to learn more about how pelvic floor physical therapy can help. This October, and every month, we stand with breast cancer patients and survivors, committed to helping you feel your best!

In Health,

The Team at Treasure Valley Pelvic Health