Episode 177
Managing Pelvic Pain and Incontinence: Dr Judith Thompson on the Importance of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
In this episode of The Good GP, host Karin Sekhon engages in an insightful conversation with Dr Judith Thompson, specialist continence and pelvic health physiotherapist and clinical director of BodyLogic Pelvic Health Clinic in Perth. She shares her knowledge on the benefits of pelvic floor physiotherapy and its broad applications across various stages of life and conditions.
Dr Thompson elaborates the training in becoming a pelvic health physiotherapist and outlines the range of conditions managed, including bladder and bowel continence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic floor dysfunction in both women and men. They also covered management strategies for men post-prostate surgery and children with continence issues.
They also talked about the management of endometriosis-related pelvic pain. Dr Thompson explains the holistic approach taken, considering bladder, bowel, and pain management, and emphasises the importance of exercise, pelvic floor muscle assessment, and pacing plans. She also addresses the psychosocial elements, using tools like the 3PSQ for early identification of psychological factors influencing pain.
Financial barriers to accessing pelvic physiotherapy were also discussed, with Dr Thompson offering practical advice on leveraging public system referrals, EPC programs, and telehealth services to make treatment more accessible. Highlighting resources such as the Matilda app for endometriosis care and the Coast to Country program for rural patients.
Dr Thompson also touched upon the often-overlooked needs of young men experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms and pelvic pain, advocating for early physiotherapy assessment and holistic management.
Links & Resources:
- The Pelvic Pain Psychological Screening Questionnaire (3PSQ) - https://www.wmhp.com.au/sites/default/files/3PSQ.pdf
- Matilda Health - Home | Endometriosis surgery: care before and after to optimise outcomes. (matilda.health)
- Coast to Country Pelvic Health Clinic - https://pelvichealth.physio/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Poster.pdf
The VVSC is available to any GP working in Victoria. The collab-consult model is a free 20-minute case conference with a specialist (with or without the patient). The collab-consult enables GPs to access timely expert advice to support managing their patients in the community. CPD can be claimed for participating in a case conference. Booking is easy through https://vvsc.org.au/ or email VVSC@nh.org.au.
The Virtual Immunology Clinic is available to any GP in WA who is in or very near the Fiona Stanley Hospital Catchment area for public hospital outpatients services (South Metro, South West, Great Southern)
The link to register, log in and refer is: South Metropolitan Health Service - SMHS Online Services Portal https://smhs.health.wa.gov.au/Our-services/SMHS-Online-Services-Portal
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