Digestive Issues | Nancy Branberg Physical Therapy

Digestive Issues

“Why Constipation and Cycles of IBS are Common, BUT not Normal How to Manage Your Digestive System So It Is No Longer Managing You!”

If you are constipated you are not alone! More than 20% of us suffer from constipation—so many people that most of us think it is “normal” of “just the way my family is.”

You have talked to your doctor who told you to add more fiber to your diet and to drink more water. Perhaps your doctor told you to use a laxative or even an enema if it got really bad.

But the fiber only seems to make you bloated and gassy and feeling worse than ever! And you’ve heard that using a laxative will only make you rely on them…not the long-term solution you were looking for.

If that’s happening to you, you’re not alone - we hear this type of thing all the time. In fact, Constipation is THE most common problem we see in our physical therapy clinic in Falls Church (because almost everyone who comes in with a pelvic issue or back pain is also constipated!)

And when it comes to living with any pelvic issue or back pain that doesn’t respond to treatment, everybody we see wants to know

“What does Constipation Have to Do with My Pelvic or Back Pain?”...

or

“I came in because I have a leaky bladder that I want fixed… I don’t want to talk about my constipation too”

Most women think that they have been constipated their whole life so it can’t really be part of why they’re leaking or having pelvic pain.

And women who develop constipation or IBS (cycling between constipation and diarrhea) during pregnancy or when they become peri-menopausal assume that it’s “part of life” and that once they have their baby or become menopausal, constipation or IBS will be in the rear-view mirror.

That they’ll wake up one morning and like “magic”, it’ll be as if the constipation never happened… But then 6 months after the baby has been born or as you progress through perimenopause – it’s often even worse than it was when it started.

Does That Sound Like You?

Another scenario we see all the time in our physical therapy clinic is when people go to the Doctors, and the Doctor tells them to exercise and “take Benefiber or Metamucil” and “see how it goes”.

But this advice rarely helps and they often end up more bloated and in pain and complaining that they feel like a rabbit pooping pellets. Worse, they believe this is just the way they are and go back to feeling miserable and just plain blah. This is madness and explains why so many women aged 40+ are suffering with chronic constipation.

Has This Type of Thing Happened to You?

Why else is constipation such a common issue for everyone? Well, it’s easy to get confused because you’ve been told different things, by different people. There’s lots of people out there who are happy to dispense advice - but not all of it is credible.

Maybe you think your constipation is genetic - something that runs in your family- but really it may be caused by years and years of straining to try to poop and doing more damage that caused the muscles in your pelvis to become weak and the constipation was just the EFFECT of that.

If you are living with constipation you know it can be very confusing—you may be drinking lots of water, eating lots of fiber and exercising AND it doesn’t get better. And because of this, many women just end up accepting it as ‘part of life’ - as if it’s normal, and ‘just the way it is’.

Do You Feel That Way Too?

If You’re Currently Living With Constipation or IBS, Here’s 7 More Reasons Why It Could Be Lasting Longer Than It Should:

  • You thought it would go away on its own - but it didn’t.
  • You went to the Doctor who told you to change your diet and drink more water BUT it didn’t change anything.
  • A family member, or friend, told you that everybody is constipated as they get older, so you just accepted it.
  • You tried other healthcare professionals in the past, but nothing they said or did seemed to help.
  • You tried YouTube abdominal massages but they either didn’t do a thing, or made you feel more bloated.
  • You tried Yoga and Pilates because you heard they were good exercises for constipation, but no exercise makes a difference.
  • You’ve tried the Low FODMAP diet, or the SIBO diet, or the high fiber diet and none of them worked for long-if at all.

If any of these have happened to you - we would love to help you by inviting you to book a call to talk with one of our specialty-trained pelvic health physical therapists to find out what can be done to help you. The fact that you’ve tried any or all of these things already is actually a GOOD THING because when you know what doesn’t work - you are closer to finding the thing that does!

Click the link below to book a call with us if you would like to get some solid advice given to you over the phone. The phone call is complementary and there is no obligation to book any appointments with us after the call is over. Our goal is to help you make the right decision about what to do next for the best next step.

What Can I do to Get Rid of My Constipation Quickly?...

Well, here's 4 things you can do:

  • First off, you need to make a decision about getting help. So many people procrastinate for so long, thinking that constipation is “normal” or “runs in the family” and there is nothing to be done about it.
  • Next, do the RIGHT exercises - one of the best ways to help you “empty out” is to add the right series of movements to your life - the right exercises given to you by a physical therapist will help reduce gas and bloating, and allow you to move freely—again or for the first time.
  • Avoid straining when you sit on the toilet - One of the best things you can do is learn how to poop using your muscles correctly. Straining tightens the muscles around the anus making it harder to have a bowel movement and creates the best conditions for hemorrhoids to form.
  • Get real, “hands-on” physical therapy - Physical Therapy is proven to help people with constipation. In fact, at Nancy Branberg Physical therapy it’s the most common condition we see. If your constipation or IBS is affecting your job, your ability to keep active, if it threatens your independence or gets in the way of spending quality time with family and friends - physical therapy can help get you back to living the life you deserve as quickly as possible.

If you would like to know how the physical therapy team at Nancy Branberg Physical Therapy in Falls Church can help you live with less pain and bloating and leakage due to constipation - we invite you to start with a completely free, no-obligation, risk free, virtual appointment at our clinic:

Note: This Free Assessment is something that we offer to women who are very nervous or skeptical about physical therapy - unsure of its benefits or if it is right for them. If that sounds like you, then please start with a free assessment so that we can work with you to find out what is wrong and what can be done - without any financial risk on your part.

So the next question is:

“How Can Choosing to See a Physical Therapist at Nancy Branberg Physical Therapy Help You Get Rid of Your Constipation - In The Next Few Days?”

Here’s just a few of the things our Specialist Physical Therapy team can do for you:

  • We can quickly take away the gas and bloating - often inside a couple of sessions
  • We can help you find out what’s really going on, and get to the root cause of your constipation and help you manage your IBS once and for all.
  • Living with constipation or IBS can “zap” you of energy and limit your ability to do the things you love - we can help you enjoy living with more energy each day.
  • We will ensure that your problem is “corrected” and “healed” properly - and we will provide you with the perfect set of exercises that will speed up your digestion.
  • We can help you put an end to taking unnecessary fiber.
  • We can help you get back to enjoying quality time with family and friends that constipation has stolen from you.

Basically, we can help you get back to living life free from the curse of chronic constipation or IBS.

If you want to know what it costs - and what availability we have at our physical therapy clinic in Falls Church, then please just click the button below and complete the short form:


“Find Out How People Just Like You, Came to Nancy Branberg Physical Therapy - and Left Happier and Much Healthier!”

Please enjoy watching stories of other people just like you who came to see the physical therapy team at Nancy Branberg Physical Therapy - and left much healthier and happier:

Lynda C.

"Nancy has been a change agent for me. She taught me about the important relationship between the urinary tract and bowels and that helping one improves the health of the other. She taught me exercises which I do daily to improve my need to constantly urinate. Nancy is extraordinarily gentle and effective."

Kate R.

"Nancy is very compassionate about your pain, and is very skilled at releasing painful muscle and myofascial issues. I have had a lot of recurring problems with my SI Joint and pelvic muscles and Nancy has always been willing to keep working on those areas until the pain is resolved."

Rachel M.

I haven't looked back since I was referred to Nancy by another physical therapist who said she was the best around for my “gut issues”.  She was absolutely right - following rectal cancer and the attendant surgeries, my gut has struggled to behave consistently.   Nancy has helped me immeasurably, her visits keeping my abdomen on an even keel. 

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