Is levator ani syndrome causing your pelvic-area soreness?

There are a number of issues that can cause soreness and pain in the pelvic area when you live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. However, people who feel chronic pain in the pelvic area may have a condition called levator ani syndrome. 

What is levator ani syndrome?

The levator ani is a pelvic muscle near the anus, and periodic spasms and pain in this muscle can lead to a diagnosis of levator ani syndrome. The cause or causes of this condition aren’t known for sure, but there are several theories for how you can get levator ani syndrome. One theory is that chronic pelvic muscle tightness leads to this issue. Another theory is that sources of chronic inflammation in the pelvic area causes levator ani syndrome to occur. 

According to one source, levator ani syndrome affects more than 7% of the women in the U.S. However, the condition isn’t confined to women, and about 6% of U.S. men are also affected by this chronic condition. As a chronic condition, there is no known cure for levator ani syndrome, but there are treatment options available for the symptoms of this condition. 

What are the symptoms of levator ani syndrome? 

Pain is the biggest levator ani syndrome symptom you’ll have to deal with. The spasming of the levator ani muscle is the direct cause of the pain, and in many cases, your pain may start while you’re sitting down. For most people, levator ani syndrome pain isn’t associated with bowel movements.

Other people have reported that the pain was severe enough to wake them up at night, but generally, the pain feels more like a soreness in the rear of the pelvic area. In most cases, the pain of this condition lasts less than 20 minutes, but in extreme cases, it has been known to last for hours at a time. 

There’s a physical therapy team in Grand Rapids, MI, that can help treat this form of pelvic-area soreness

Physical therapy is a commonly prescribed treatment for the pelvic-area soreness caused by levator ani syndrome. Advent Physical Therapy has a clinic in Grand Rapids that can help you get the treatment for your levator ani syndrome symptoms. We can also help people suffering from other conditions that cause pelvic area soreness. 

Our personalized treatment plans are designed to reduce your symptoms, and these plans can be effective because of the multiple therapy techniques they include, such as: 

• Manual therapy
• Pelvic floor rehabilitation
• Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)

Are you ready to reduce the soreness in your pelvic area? Contact our team today to schedule your free screening to determine what issue is causing your soreness or pain.