Pelvic Floor Nerve Injury
Are you experiencing numbness, sharp or burning pain….”down there”? Pelvic floor physical therapy isn’t just about muscles, our pelvic floor health also includes nerves. Symptoms of nerve issues can include numbness or “pins and needles” sensations, sharp pain, burning, or itching sensations in the pelvic region.
Anyone with a pelvic floor can experience nerve injuries from compression (sitting, bicycling, horseback riding), tension (stretched during long labor/delivery, chronic constipation/straining, pregnancy), or other factors related to anatomy of the pelvis and how the person moves in their daily life. Symptoms of injury to the pudendal nerve specifically can include pain, burning, numbness, or more in the genital regions including the clitoris, near the vagina, anus, or penis. It can also include difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection for males, or sudden and uncontrolled urges with urination for both males and females.
Symptoms of pudendal nerve injury can be worse:
During or after bowel movements
During sex
During orgasm
Prolonged sitting
There are several other nerves in the pelvic region as well that can be causing pain, numbness, “pins and needles”, or burning around your pelvic region. Many of these nerves run through the abdominal wall, therefore surgeries and scar tissue in the abdominal area can create entrapment or compression of these nerves. Surgeries for hernia repair, C-section, appendectomy, or more can lead to nerve symptoms. These symptoms could be located:
Labia
Inner thigh
Front of the thigh
Lower abdomen, near pubic bone
Outer buttock
A pelvic floor physical therapist can help identify which nerve is involved in your symptoms and complete an individual assessment and plan for helping you recover from your symptoms. Having numbness or other persistent symptoms “down there” should not be ignored! Make an appointment to see your pelvic floor physical therapist right away.
Written by: Renee Hancock, Pelvic Floor Specialist, Physical Therapist
