Current Terminology of Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions

Abstract

Pelvic floor disorders (PFD) affect the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. PFD, which increase in frequency with advancing age, affect not only the individual with the symptoms but also the family, caregivers and the society. Increased diagnostic methods and applications in treatment cause complexity in symptom terminology. For this reason, international organizations dealing with PFD have been working for updating definitions and/or adding new definitions for many years. Accordingly, the symptoms of PFD are; urinary, pelvic organ prolapse, sexual dysfunction, lower urinary tract pain and/or other pelvic pain and anorectal dysfunction. In the diagnosis and treatment stages of PFD and in studies, expressing the symptoms in a common language is very important for achieving standardization. Standardization in terminology will provide consensus and increase the success of treatment and prevention of PFD symptoms. The aim of this review is to examine the standardized current terminology of the symptoms of PFD in the light of the literature.