What is pelvic floor dysfunction?
For most people, having a bowel movement is a seemingly automatic function. For some individuals, the process of evacuating stool may be difficult. Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction include constipation and the sensation of incomplete emptying of the rectum when having a bowel movement. Incomplete emptying may result in the individual feeling the need to attempt a bowel movement several times within a short period of time. Residual stool left in the rectum may slowly seep out of the rectum leading to reports of bowel incontinence.
The process of defecation (having a bowel movement) requires the coordinated effort of different muscles. The pelvic floor is made up of several muscles that support the rectum like a hammock. When an individual wants to have a bowel movement the pelvic floor muscles are supposed to relax allowing the rectum to empty. While the pelvic floor muscles are relaxing, muscles of the abdomen contract to help push the stool out of the rectum. Individuals with pelvic floor dysfunction have a tendency to contract instead of relax the pelvic floor muscles. When this happens during an attempted bowel movement, these individuals are effectively pushing against an unyielding muscular wall.
How is pelvic floor dysfunction treated?
Pelvic floor dysfunction due to non-relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles may be treated with specialized physical therapy known as biofeedback. With biofeedback, a therapist helps to improve a person’s rectal sensation and pelvic floor muscle coordination. There are various effective techniques used in biofeedback. Some therapists train patients by teaching them to expel a small balloon placed in the rectum. Another technique uses a small probe placed in the rectum or vagina or electrodes placed on the surface of the skin around the opening to the rectum (anus) and on the abdominal wall. These instruments detect when a muscle is contracting or relaxing and provide visual feedback of the muscle action. This visual feedback helps the individual to understand the muscle movement and aids in improving muscle coordination. Approximately 75% of individuals with pelvic floor dysfunction experience significant improvement with biofeedback.

Oh , thank you so much Cheryl for posting this !!!!! Actually I totally might have this thing since that is exactly how I got my first fissure !!!!
I could not relax my muscles due to the very noisy public restroom atmosphere and pushed my BM with all my might contrary to strong opposite forces in my pelvis and got a rip !!!
Jeeezzzzzz, after all of this years I now see that I actually might have "dysfunction" down there and that it is a known phenomenon and yet no CRS or GP or GI ever suggested that although I explained in detail how I actually got it !!!!! They were always flabbergasted how the person with no constipation managed to get a fissure - and here we go _ THIS IS HOW !!!!
With all of mine other spasms in pelvic floor initiated during my pre -period and during period phases - no wonder my periods are lethal for my sphincter
Thank you Cheryl very, very much , and now I will have to find a possible bio-feedback center in my area *sigh, since obviously without electrodes I can not do anything about it . Maybe I can start at least with Yoga positions for a pelvic floor adjustment :roll: until I find a real thing ; ))) !

Fiss,
I decided to post, instead of PM, so others might learn also. I was supposed to buy my own instrument to use at home, but never did. :roll: If I can find the info, and can still order it, there might be a link for others to do the same. After I learned how to relax the muscles, I then worked on "expelling the balloon," with her guidance--something I was not able to do in the initial exam. Lastly, my Mayo nurse therapist told me MANY people have this type of dysfunction. So, maybe it is not always the internal sphincter that causes AF's!!!

Yes - this was great idea to post it !!!!
I think that you are absolutely right ! This dysfunction definitely can cause AF or even be a in combination with internal sphincter hipper-tonicity !!!! I think that I have both going on and it is a miracle I "lasted" this long without major problems
Do you have a link or a name of that instrument ???

I finally found it (along with some other things while looking for the info).
National Home Rental Program for Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction
Essential Control Systems
2760 5th Street
Boulder, CO 80304
800-537-3779
Maybe they might know of doctors in your area that do the pelvic floor retraining. Good luck! I remember my Mayo nurse told me she thought fissures were caused by forcing a bm, but I think they can also be caused by constantly having the area irritated.

WOW - that is great pointer Cheryl !!!! It is more feasible for me to go to CO if I do not find anything here ! My hubby has some consulting in CO and I ADORE that state so maybe I can mix "businesses with health and pleasure"
I found 2 things so far in the Bay Area - one at Stanford and one in physiotherapist specializing in that area who is in San Francisco. There must be more : )) ! I will do more extensive search tomorrow since today was a weekend and I spent most of the day out
You are very kind - thanks a lot for everything The more I read about the disorder, the more I saw how it could be the cause for some of my problems !!!!

Cheryl,
I tried to find anything that matched the "title" and address and found only pointers for schools that offer training for physical therapist - nothing for patients actually - but it is OK LOL, I will find it through further googling
Thanks again : )
PS: Do you still remember a name of a product that they suggested you buy ??? :roll:

I think it is the control that I have used in the past with lights on it that gives feedback on how relaxed the pelvic floor muscles are. I plan to call that 800# tomorrow and follow up on ordering the sensor. Hopefully, the info is still correct. I typed it from the brochure my nurse gave me. I'll let you know if I am successful in ordering!

Ohhh, NOW I SEE - that is than a place that also sells the sensors for medical students who want to enroll and learn how to treat patients so they need to buy instruments too !!!! Now it all makes a perfect sense !!!!
Yes- please let me know if you order one and what is the price !!!! THANKS A BUNCH

I think the price for the sensor is $300-500. A person has to go through the anal rectal manometry test first to see if their physical condition warrants going through the Pelvic Floor Retraining class. I am not sure if I am going to order the unit or not because I don't know if I want to spend that amount of $$ on it.
The class helps a person learn to keep the muscles in the rectal area as relaxed at all times. The probe and sensor teaches patients to do that (with the help of a therapist). After a person has been able to learn to keep the rectal floor muscles relaxed (via the sensor and probe), the next step is to learn to be able to expel a water-filled balloon. When I took the manometry test, I could not do that, and that is why I qualified for the class. But at the end of the training, I could! They have a 70% success rate at Mayos. I only know of two places that conduct Pelvic Floor Retraining--Mayos and Loyola in Chicago. But there might be other places that do it also.