Pelvic floor health

• The bladder can become less elastic and therefore has more difficulty in stretching.
• As the bladder fills with urine this loss of stretch may irritate the bladder muscle and it can be difficult to hold as much urine as before.
• Combined with low tone pelvic floor muscles this makes it much more difficult to hold on or to put off going to the toilet.
• Vaginal oestrogen can be prescribed to help with these symptoms in conjunction with a pelvic floor exercise programme.

Thinning and inflammation of the vaginal walls and the change of hormones experiencing – vaginal burning, itching irritation, dryness and discomfort and/or painful intercourse.

The urethra can also develop changes and there can be an increased risk of urinary tract infections.

Many women find they begin to gain weight with the onset of the menopause.

Excess weight adds to the load onto the pelvic floor muscles.