Physiotherapy

Our physiotherapy outpatient service is run across 3 different locations. Please read your appointment letter carefully to make sure you attend the correct location.

Cork University Maternity Hospital Physiotherapy Outpatient Department, Wilton, Cork

CUMH Kinsale Road Clinic, 1st Floor, Unit 3, 3A and 4A, South Ring Business Park, Kinsale Road, Cork, T12F88X

Zone C,St Marys Primary Care Centre, Bakers Road, Gurranbraher, Cork, T23 VO9X

Appointment Times

Physiotherapy appointments are individual, so you will be seen at the time of your appointment.  Please arrive at the Physiotherapy Department 15 minutes before your treatment time, to allow adequate time to check in at reception.  If you are more than 10 minutes late, your physiotherapist may not be able to see you and your appointment will have to be rescheduled.

If you are unable to attend please notify our secretary immediately on 021-4927448 (lines open between 10am and 12pm and 2pm and 3pm), so that another patient may benefit.

Referral process:

A referral from the appropriate source is required in order to access the physiotherapy outpatient service.

Referral sources:

• Antenatal: Doctor or midwife
• Postnatal: up to 6 weeks Postnatal for lower back pain/Pelvic girdle pain and up to 2 years for pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. GP, Consultant, Midwife, or Public Health Nurse
• Neonatology:  Consultant Neonatologist
• Gynaecology: Consultant
• Men’s Health: CUH Urology and Colorectal Consultants

Staff List

Liz Barry Deputy Physiotherapy Manager

Tracy Gallagher Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist

Orla McCarthy Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist

Colette Lynch Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist

Denise Murphy Acting Clinical Specialist

Seana Ryle Senior Physiotherapist

Aislinn Finn Senior Physiotherapist

Fiona Joyce Senior Physiotherapist

Services we provide

Antenatal/Postnatal

Chartered physiotherapists specialised in the area of women's health are available for assessment and treatment of pregnancy-related conditions before birth and also offer a postnatal continence service following birth. Many conditions that some may consider to be just aches and pains of pregnancy can be very effectively treated by physiotherapy. If you have physical discomfort that is affecting your daily living or sleep, discuss it with your doctor or midwife, who can make a referral for you to be seen by a women's health physiotherapist.

Neonatology

Chartered Physiotherapists specialising in the treatment of children provide treatment to inpatients and outpatients in CUMH. All infants born under 1.5kg or before 32 weeks gestation are routinely assessed by the neonatal physiotherapist in the neonatal unit and followed-up post discharge. The physiotherapist is involved in implementing the principles of developmental care, neurodevelopment positioning and handling to achieve optimal motor development (“milestones”). Parents will be advised on a home exercise programme incorporating the appropriate treatment and stimulation for their baby after they are discharged home. In addition to premature babies, the Physiotherapist, as part of the multidisciplinary team, may treat babies who have musculoskeletal, neurological or developmental issues.

Gynaecology/Pelvic Health

The outpatient physiotherapy service of Cork University Maternity Hospital offers specialist assessment and rehabilitation for those (men and women) with issues of the pelvic floor, bladder and bowel.

Conditions commonly assessed and treated include:

 Bladder dysfunction:

• Overactive bladder symptoms including frequency and urgency
• Voiding dysfunction such as difficulty emptying bladder
• Urinary incontinence which is the involuntary loss of urine. This may be stress incontinence, urge incontinence or mixed urinary incontinence.

Bowel dysfunction:

• Faecal and flatal incontinence i.e. the loss of control of bowels and/or wind
• Faecal urgency which is the feeling of needing to empty the bowel with little warning
• Bowel evacuation disorders such as constipation and difficulty emptying the bowels

Prolapse:

Pelvic organ prolapse in women and rectal prolapse in women and men.

Sexual dysfunction in women and men:

Pain with sexual intercourse and erectile dysfunction

Chronic pelvic pain:

Vaginal and/or vulval pain in women, scrotal or testicular pain in men; bladder pain syndrome, endometriosis, chronic pain in the pelvic region and abdomen.

Physiotherapy Assessment and Treatment

 At your first appointment the physiotherapist will have a detailed discussion with you regarding your symptoms. If they feel it is necessary and appropriate they may request to do an internal examination, but only with your consent. Following the discussion and assessment they will discuss and agree on a treatment plan with you. Allow up to 45 minutes for this appointment.