Pelvic HealthCenter.Com Offers Hope for Houston Prostate Cancer Patients

HOUSTON, TX, March 02, 2011 (Press-News.org) According to the American Cancer Society one in six men is diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. For 2010, this statistic translated to over 200,000 American men, of which it is estimated that 15% will not survive. The prostate is a gland that is located in an area of the body called the pelvic floor. Specific to males, the prostate is responsible for creating fluids that protect and cultivate semen sperm cells. The urethra, a tubular pathway for urine and semen, runs directly through the center of the prostate. This means that prostate problems can affect urination, semen production and sexual performance to name a few. The Houston-based Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center, PelvicHealthCenter.Com, is dedicated to researching and employing the latest surgical techniques and post-prostatectomy treatments to significantly reduce the ramifications of prostate cancer in men.

The Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center is a state- of- the- art facility in which a multitude of common and rare pelvic floor conditions are diagnosed and treated, including pelvic and vaginal pain syndromes, urinary and bladder dysfunction, and bowel and fecal disorders. The Center consists of a team of pelvic floor specialists who have created an innovative and unique environment from which a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment is customized to each individual patient. Among the vast array of modalities offered there is pelvic muscle rehabilitation, physical therapy, dietary counseling and stress management.

The pelvic floor is the layer of muscle running from the pubic bone to the tail bone that forms the floor of the pelvis. It functions as the primary support for the pelvic organs. These include the bladder, intestines, uterus and prostate gland. The pelvic floor also maintains healthy functioning of urinary and fecal voiding and facilitates childbirth through the pelvic girdle.

Physical therapy has proven to play a significant role in the rehabilitation of men following prostate cancer treatments. The Pelvic Health Center offers techniques to strengthen the pelvic floor and trunk musculature in combination with cardiovascular training. The goal is to restore overall fitness and maximize the body's own resources to battle the effects of cancer treatment.

PHC & PTC physical therapists are trained in the evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal dysfunctions. This allows for the identification of imbalances in the pelvic floor muscles through manual and biofeedback-assisted assessment. A course of treatment is then formulated to strengthen and retrain the compromised muscles.

There are a number of prostate cancer treatments available including chemotherapy, radiation and a radical prostatectomy. A prostatectomy involves surgically removing the prostate gland in its entirety. This procedure presents a major concern for men as there is the possibility of being left with a sexual dysfunction. However, there is over a 95% success rate in the return of sexual function for men who have undergone a robotic prostatectomy.

Dr. Eric Haas, an internationally acclaimed colorectal surgeon and member of the Pelvic Health Center team, is one of only a handful of surgeons in the world who are using robotic surgery to help preserve sexual ability and bladder control for patients with prostate and colorectal cancers. Dr. Haas employs the daVinci robot to treat diseases and cancers found in the very narrow constraints of the pelvis, including rectal and anal cancers and diverticulitis. Advances with robotic surgical systems in minimally invasive surgery are being actively pursued by Dr. Haas and his team of clinical research faculty, in partnership with Houston Medical Center Hospitals. He also trains surgeons in the robotic surgical technique to increase the number of international medical personnel who are proficient in the procedure.

Quality of care, innovation, comfort and successful results are the benchmarks upon which the Houston based Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center has been founded. Contact may be made through PelvicHealthCenter.com.

The Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy Center is a medical practice consisting of a team of colorectal surgeons and other medical professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of male and female disorders of the pelvic floor. The mission of PH & PTC is to achieve improved health and quality of life for their patients. The entire team is committed to providing the highest quality of physical and emotional support within a private, compassionate and soothing environment. A range of therapeutic modalities are available and used in combination to realize optimal outcomes. Additional information is available at www.PelvicHealthCenter.Com.