March Is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Treating endometriosis and improving the lives of people with endometriosis has long been a passion of Dr. Amy Stein, founder of Beyond Basics Physical Therapy, so much so, that she teamed up with Dr. Iris Orbuch and wrote a book about it! This month we are reviewing some of the major talking points in their book, Beating Endo . For more on endometriosis, check out our past blogs as well as Beating Endo.
Endo Awareness Month: Understanding Endo
Endo Awareness Month ( Part 2 of 4) : How Endo can Affect your Bladder
Endo Awareness Month: Sleep, The Ultimate Self-Care (Part 3 of 4)
This week we are continuing our series on endometriosis. We are highlighting how endo can affect your gastrointestinal system (your tummy) and what you can do about it. As you may recall from our previous blog posts, endo occurs when endometrial like cells occur outside the uterus. These cells can implant themselves within the abdomino-pelvic cavities and its organs causing inflammation and reducing the movement of the organs therein. The symptoms caused by endo in the gut are myriad. These symptoms can often be unpredictable and incredibly frustrating to those experiencing them. These symptoms may also occur regularly or at various points during one’s cycle and can be just as frustrating.
GI symptoms commonly associated with endo include:
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Painful bowel movements
- Abdominal pain
With all this going on in the gut, there are still some things you can do. The pelvic floor is the “governor” of bowel function. When it contracts, it holds bowel movements in, and when it relaxes, it allows bowel movements out. With endometriosis, and the inflammation and pain it can cause, the pelvic floor muscles often get very tight, which worsens the problems outlined above. Pelvic floor PT can help reteach those muscles to relax and let go, thereby improving your GI symptoms!
How to help your tummy at home:
The I Love You Massage
How to do it:
Flatten your palm, make a fist, or use your fingers, first to trace the letter I in a descending movement from just under your left rib cage to your pelvic bone. Do this ten to fifteen times. Then place your palm, fist, or fingers under the right rib cage and draw the L— right to left horizontally, then straight down to the pubic bone. Again, do this ten to fifteen times. Finally, the U: Start on the right, at the top edge of the pelvic bone, and massage up toward the rib cage, then left across the body, then down to the top of the pelvic bone. Do this ten to fifteen times as well. What you have done is massage the descending colon, the transverse colon, and the ascending colon, thus stimulating the involuntary contractions that actually move the stool. Use moderate pressure; if it hurts, lighten the pressure. If it still hurts, stop—although even a light massage may cause some soreness at first.
For more, check out Beating Endo!