Pelvic Floor Disorders
One of the primary mechanisms known to cause constipation is pelvic floor dyssynergia, which is defined as failure to relax pelvic floor muscles during attempts to defecate. Biofeedback teaches patients how to relax these muscles and empty their rectum more effectively.
For many patients with fecal incontinence, weak pelvic floor muscles are responsible. In patients who have not had success with standard medical care, Biofeedback can be breakthrough. While conducting an NIH investigation, Dr. Heymen successfully treated 76% of patients who had fecal incontinence (Heymen, et. al. 2009) and 70% of patients who had constipation (Heymen, et. al. 2007) in randomized controlled trials.
Dr. Heymen has also successfully treated patients with rectal pain due to Levator Ani Syndrome . Biofeedback works by teaching patients with rectal pain to relax pelvic floor muscles in the same manner used for treating patients with constipation.