Exercise

[aften16]

Does anyone exercise? Does it help pelvic floor muscles that are too tight or does it make them better? I know yoga helps but any other suggestions?

[Alaine1 Administrator]

Hi aften16,

Definitely be careful of the type of exercise you do even with yoga as it’s easy to make an already hypertonic pelvic floor even tighter causing a vast array of symptoms including bladder pain, unable to empty bladder properly, pain in the pelvis which has even fooled patients and doctors into believing they will find endometriosis etc when it turns out negative during surgery, they are loads more but definitely book into see a women’s health physiotherapist who can properly assess you and give you recommendations as you might be a combination. I have had hypertonic pelvic floor on both sides but my left side did have areas of weakness. Like our food choices our pelvic floor is definitely different from others as it’s undergone an individual trigger or set of triggers. It is definitely useful to find out what others do but check it’s ok for you to do it too. I hope this helps

[aften16 in reply to Alaine1]

Have you used a tens unit machine? Do you think that could cause bladder spasms to be worse? I just started using the tens and I feel like it is not helping with the bladder and urethra symptoms.

[Alaine1 Administrator in reply to aften16]

It possibly might. I’ve found the TENS machine to be no help with any of my 3 pelvic pain conditions and the pelvic floor dysfunction on top of these. In fact I felt it made my symptoms worse. The women’s health physiotherapist told me not to use it at all on my pelvic area. We tried a few different placement of the sticky electrodes but again the same problem. I did find it helpful for my multi factorial back pain though so if that’s a problem for you definitely don’t be put off using it.

Have you tried the stick on heat patches? I use these on my pelvic area for pain and also my back. I find the ones from the pound shops to be the best as they get and stay hotter for longer-12+ hours

I hope this helps

[kalecolbe12 in reply to Alaine1]

What are the stick in heat patches from the pound shop called?do they have medicine in them or are they purely heat?

[Alaine1 Administrator in reply to kalecolbe12]

Hi Kalecolbe12,

They are purely heat, I’ve used ones for the back on my pelvic area before as they are slightly longer but I often use one on my pelvic area and another on my back. Bliss in winter! The ones in pharmacies are still good if you prefer these but I find they aren’t as long lasting. The ones I use on my pelvic area are the ones in the picture but I believe the back ones are made by the same company and are just called self adhesive heat patches for the back. They say lasts 8 hours but I’ve still had heat from them when I’ve taken them off at the end of the day.

* please remember not to sleep in these as they can still cause burns.

Failing that I have a very small hot water bottle that I take out with me and is useful for hospital appointments

[kalecolbe12 in reply to Alaine1]

Thanks I am in USA but I am from the UK so I can have my sis send me some or I will look in dollar stores here...I also got a tiny little cloth heating pad with wires that connects to a little regular usb portable charger

[pizon]

Hello I have found the dvd Your Pace Yoga reliving pelvic pain by dustine miller to be very helpful...if I am having any tightness or in a flare it is very helpful with pain relife I use this daily in addition to the stretches I was taught by my phycio. therapist I can also recommend a book titled Heal Pelvic Pain by amy stein I went to the library before I bought it give it a go and see if it helps but these are the only things that have helped me the therapist is a good place to start she was very helpful but you have to do the stretches every day I hope this helps