Research
Summary of Science, Anatomy & Explanation
Strengthen the entire Pelvic Floor Muscle including the Perineum Muscle With FREEDOM+™ 10cm Penetration
Overview
| Muscle | Origin |
|---|---|
| sphincter ani externus | perineal body or central tendinous point of the perineum |
| sphincter ani internus | encircles the anal canal |
| sphincter urethrae, in female | encircles the urethra |
| sphincter urethrae, in male | encircles the urethra |
Perineum
Your perineum is the thin layer of skin between your genitals (vaginal opening or scrotum) and anus. Inside your body, your perineum consists of tissue that makes up the bottom of your pelvic cavity. It’s a common site for tears during childbirth. Minor tears may heal on their own, while major ones may require stitches.
Strengthen the entire Pelvic Floor Muscle including the Perineum Muscle With FREEDOM+™ 10cm Penetration
Overview
What is the perineum?
| Muscle | Origin |
|---|---|
| sphincter ani externus | perineal body or central tendinous point of the perineum |
| sphincter ani internus | encircles the anal canal |
| sphincter urethrae, in female | encircles the urethra |
| sphincter urethrae, in male | encircles the urethra |
Your perineum is the thin layer of skin between your genitals (vaginal opening or scrotum) and anus. Inside your body, your perineum consists of tissue that makes up the bottom of your pelvic cavity. It’s a common site for tears during childbirth. Minor tears may heal on their own, while major ones may require stitches.
What is the perineum?
Your perineum is the tiny patch of sensitive skin between your genitals (vaginal opening or scrotum) and anus, and it’s also the bottom region of your pelvic cavity. The perineum may refer to just the part of your body you can see (the skin in between your genitals and your anus). Perineum may also refer to the underlying structures inside your body beneath your pelvic floor.
What is the perineum?
Your perineum is the tiny patch of sensitive skin between your genitals (vaginal opening or scrotum) and anus, and it’s also the bottom region of your pelvic cavity. The perineum may refer to just the part of your body you can see (the skin in between your genitals and your anus). Perineum may also refer to the underlying structures inside your body beneath your pelvic floor.
Function
What is the function of the perineum?
Your perineum is an erogenous zone. The skin covering your perineum contains multiple nerve endings that help with sexual arousal and response.
Inside your body, your perineum contains structures that help you pee, poop and have intercourse. If you’re a woman or assigned female at birth (AFAB), your perineum contains structures that help you give birth vaginally. Your perineum forms a foundation that helps support your pelvic floor muscles, which hold organs like your bladder, colon and reproductive organs in place.
Function
What is the function of the perineum?
Your perineum is an erogenous zone. The skin covering your perineum contains multiple nerve endings that help with sexual arousal and response.
Inside your body, your perineum contains structures that help you pee, poop and have intercourse. If you’re a woman or assigned female at birth (AFAB), your perineum contains structures that help you give birth vaginally. Your perineum forms a foundation that helps support your pelvic floor muscles, which hold organs like your bladder, colon and reproductive organs in place.
Anatomy
Where is the perineum located?
Your perineum is between your genitals and your anus. This part of your perineum that you can see corresponds with structures inside your body that you can’t see. Internally, your perineum is located below the primary muscle of your pelvic floor (levator ani), and it stretches across your pelvic bones.
- Pubic symphysis joint (front): Your perineum begins at your pubic symphysis, the joint in the front of your pelvis that connects your left and right pelvic bones.
- Tailbone (back): Your perineum reaches from your pubic symphysis joint back to your tailbone (coccyx).
- Sitz bones (sides): Your perineum extends onto your sitz bones (or ischial tuberosities) on the right and left sides of your pelvis.
Anatomy
Where is the perineum located?
Your perineum is between your genitals and your anus. This part of your perineum that you can see corresponds with structures inside your body that you can’t see. Internally, your perineum is located below the primary muscle of your pelvic floor (levator ani), and it stretches across your pelvic bones.
- Pubic symphysis joint (front): Your perineum begins at your pubic symphysis, the joint in the front of your pelvis that connects your left and right pelvic bones.
- Tailbone (back): Your perineum reaches from your pubic symphysis joint back to your tailbone (coccyx).
- Sitz bones (sides): Your perineum extends onto your sitz bones (or ischial tuberosities) on the right and left sides of your pelvis.
What is the perineum’s structure?
Diagrams sometimes show the perineum’s boundaries as diamond-shaped, with an imaginary line drawn from one sitz bone in your pelvis to the other. This imaginary line divides the diamond into two triangle-shaped regions: the urogenital triangle and the anal triangle.
- Urogenital triangle: Contains the genitals, the urethra (the tube that moves pee outside your body) and the associated muscles.
- Anal triangle: Contains the opening of the anus and your anal sphincter (the muscle that helps your anus squeeze and relax so that you can poop).
A tough mass of fibromuscular tissue called the perineal body is located where your urogenital and anal triangles meet. It plays a significant role in supporting your pelvic floor and injures easily during childbirth.
What is the perineum’s structure?
Diagrams sometimes show the perineum’s boundaries as diamond-shaped, with an imaginary line drawn from one sitz bone in your pelvis to the other. This imaginary line divides the diamond into two triangle-shaped regions: the urogenital triangle and the anal triangle.
- Urogenital triangle: Contains the genitals, the urethra (the tube that moves pee outside your body) and the associated muscles.
- Anal triangle: Contains the opening of the anus and your anal sphincter (the muscle that helps your anus squeeze and relax so that you can poop).
A tough mass of fibromuscular tissue called the perineal body is located where your urogenital and anal triangles meet. It plays a significant role in supporting your pelvic floor and injures easily during childbirth.
Conditions and Disorders
What are the common conditions and disorders that affect your perineum?
Childbirth is the most common cause of injury to your perineum. About 85% of people who give birth vaginally experience a torn perineum. Still, you can injure your perineum regardless of your sex.
Conditions and Disorders
What are the common conditions and disorders that affect your perineum?
Childbirth is the most common cause of injury to your perineum. About 85% of people who give birth vaginally experience a torn perineum. Still, you can injure your perineum regardless of your sex.
People with vaginas
- Vaginal delivery: A baby making their way through your vagina (birth canal) can cause your vagina and your perineum to stretch and tear. Most tears are minor and heal in time. Depending on the tear, you may need stitches to repair the tissue. Major tears can damage your nearby pelvic floor muscles or anal sphincter. A torn perineum can make it difficult to pee, poop or have intercourse.
People with penises
- Prostatitis (prostate inflammation): An infection or injury affecting your prostate can cause inflammation and pain that you feel in your genitals and perineum.
- Surgery: Your provider may have to cut your perineum to perform surgery on your prostate, to remove a tumor or to repair a urethral stricture (when the tube that carries pee out of your body is too narrow).
People with vaginas
- Vaginal delivery: A baby making their way through your vagina (birth canal) can cause your vagina and your perineum to stretch and tear. Most tears are minor and heal in time. Depending on the tear, you may need stitches to repair the tissue. Major tears can damage your nearby pelvic floor muscles or anal sphincter. A torn perineum can make it difficult to pee, poop or have intercourse.
People with penises
- Prostatitis (prostate inflammation): An infection or injury affecting your prostate can cause inflammation and pain that you feel in your genitals and perineum.
- Surgery: Your provider may have to cut your perineum to perform surgery on your prostate, to remove a tumor or to repair a urethral stricture (when the tube that carries pee out of your body is too narrow).
What are common signs or symptoms of a condition involving your perineum?
Pain is the most common sign that something’s wrong with your perineum. After childbirth, you may experience pain from a torn perineum that makes it difficult to walk or sit.
Other symptoms may signal an issue with your perineum or a condition affecting the surrounding muscles or organs in your pelvic cavity, including:
- Trouble peeing or pooping.
- Sore or itchy perineum.
- Difficulty getting an erection.
- Pain when you pee or have intercourse.
- A lump on your perineum, redness and swelling.
What are common signs or symptoms of a condition involving your perineum?
Pain is the most common sign that something’s wrong with your perineum. After childbirth, you may experience pain from a torn perineum that makes it difficult to walk or sit.
Other symptoms may signal an issue with your perineum or a condition affecting the surrounding muscles or organs in your pelvic cavity, including:
- Trouble peeing or pooping.
- Sore or itchy perineum.
- Difficulty getting an erection.
- Pain when you pee or have intercourse.
- A lump on your perineum, redness and swelling.
Does massaging your perineum prevent tears during childbirth?
You can’t prevent your perineum from tearing, but massaging it before childbirth and during delivery reduces the likelihood that it will tear.
Does massaging your perineum prevent tears during childbirth?
You can’t prevent your perineum from tearing, but massaging it before childbirth and during delivery reduces the likelihood that it will tear.
A Note From Cleveland Clinic
Your perineum includes the delicate portion of skin between your genitals and anus and the underlying tissues that make up the bottom part of your pelvic cavity. It plays an important role in the structural integrity of your pelvis. That said, don’t be alarmed if your perineum tears during childbirth. Your tear may require stitches, but most injuries heal in time. Your healthcare provider can recommend pain management strategies that ease your symptoms as you heal.
A Note From Cleveland Clinic
Your perineum includes the delicate portion of skin between your genitals and anus and the underlying tissues that make up the bottom part of your pelvic cavity. It plays an important role in the structural integrity of your pelvis. That said, don’t be alarmed if your perineum tears during childbirth. Your tear may require stitches, but most injuries heal in time. Your healthcare provider can recommend pain management strategies that ease your symptoms as you heal.
