Pelvic pain can include discomfort in the vicinity of the bladder, penis, testicles, perineum, anus or around your sacrum or coccyx. It can also include tingling, numbness or burning sensations in these areas.

You may also experience symptoms relating to:

• Bowel issues: including rectal or anal pain, a sense of incomplete emptying, pain with opening bowels, or inability to pass wind.
• Bladder issues: bladder pain, the need to go to the toilet frequently, reduced urine flow, or incomplete emptying

The causes of these symptoms can be complex and varied. A thorough assessment is necessary before any treatment can be carried out.

Common causes of pelvic pain can include irritation of the pudendal nerve or even abdominal nerves, referred pain from lower back conditions, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, hernias (which can compress certain nerves) and visceral pain (this is referred pain from one of your internal organs eg kidneys). It is also common to experience pelvic or back pain following vasectomy or other abdominal or pelvic surgery

Physiotherapy can be used to successfully treat or manage many of these conditions. Techniques may include manual therapy, pelvic floor or abdominal muscle strengthening, individualised exercise prescription and postural advice or training.

Pelvic floor rehabilitation is taught using real-time ultrasound by our physiotherapists. This is so we can ensure you are using the right muscles and allows men to visualise the correct contraction of the pelvic floor for effective rehabilitation. High quality contractions are more likely to produce better outcomes and each program will be tailored to an individuals circumstances to assist them with getting back to normal life sooner.