Endometriosis is a debilitating chronic condition that affects many women worldwide. Although surgery and medications are often used, many women find themselves searching for additional help managing the pain that comes with endometriosis. That is where pelvic floor physical therapy can be extremely helpful. If you’re struggling with endometriosis pain, read on to learn how physical therapy can help you manage.
Physical therapy for endometriosis pain
Endometriosis is a chronic disease, meaning it causes pain and changes to the body on an ongoing basis over time. Because of this, your body can have a variety of methods it uses to cope with the pain and chronic inflammation caused by endometriosis. This can include things like muscle tension, nerve and connective tissue changes, changes in your alignment and posture, and even significant effects to your lower back and hips.
This is where pelvic physical therapy comes in. All of these changes that endometriosis can cause are things that a pelvic physical therapist can help you treat. Stretching, relaxing, releasing, and realigning all of the muscles and tissues that are out of whack from endometriosis is something that they specialize in.
How a pelvic floor physical therapist treats endometriosis pain
Every specialist has their own techniques that will depend on your specific situation, but here are some of the most common techniques they use:
- Assessment: A thorough assessment is critical to figuring out how to help you. That can include evaluations and testing for pelvic floor muscle function, posture, movement patterns, scar tissue or adhesions check, nerve sensitivity testing and more. Additionally, some pelvic physical therapists will assess the mobility of your thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic organs that can be a part of your chronic pain.
- Manual therapies: One of the most commonly used techniques in physical therapy will be manual therapies (using the therapists hands or tools) to release trigger points or tissues that are scarred or tight.
- Scar Release: When foreign tissue is introduced inside our bodies respond by creating scar tissue which can cause restrictions in and around our organs affecting their mobility and function, and often causing pain. Your pelvic physical therapist can help you release and improve the mobility of your scar tissue that may be causing you increased pain.
- Visceral Manipulation: This is an organ specific fascial mobilization and release that many find extremely helpful in improving and relieving endometriosis related pain.
- Posture training: Chronic pelvic pain can make you lean or bend or hunch your posture. A Pelvic PT can help you restore proper alignment so that you don’t cause additional strain to your body.
- Core strengthening and pelvic floor: Strengthening the core will help you keep your body and pelvis stable. Pelvic floor exercises can also help with strengthening and relaxing the deep pelvic muscles that are often affected by endometriosis.
- Stretching: Gentle stretches can be very helpful to relieve the tightness that endometriosis can cause throughout your back, pelvis and hips.
- Home care and education: Learning techniques to relieve your pain using things like ice, heat, relaxation techniques, and more during times of pain.
By targeting the muscles, tissues, and alignment that can contribute to endometriosis pain, a pelvic physical therapist can offer you a holistic pain management plan that can work alongside your surgical and medication treatments.