Physical activity and respiratory management are considered complementary therapies to alleviate acute pelvic pain brought on by endometriosis. Find out which practices could be helpful for you.
Severe menstrual cramps require medical attention. These complaints could also be related to endometriosis, a condition that requires treatment and complementary therapies to alleviate pain related to endometriosis.
The diagnosis is alarming. Really, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) says yes affects at the very least 190 million women and girls of childbearing age worldwide. This gynecological condition impairs the standard of life as the extent of pain interferes with normal functioning.
To raise awareness of the issue, the European Endometriosis Alliance promotes campaigns to encourage testing, searching for social services and disseminating information to cut back detection times. For this reason, exercise has been highlighted as one in every of the choices that may minimize the inconvenience.
What is endometriosis and what are its symptoms?
Endocrine Reviews describe endometriosis as a posh syndrome, manifested by a chronic inflammation that affects the pelvic tissue and ovaries. As a consequence, the endometrial-like mucosa detaches and moves towards the lower a part of the abdomen, causing severe pain.
The evolutionary process is unpredictable, similar to Clinica Universidad de Navarra draws attention. Some women have small endometrial implants that do not change over time, but for others they will develop extensively within the pelvis.
Because the symptoms vary, diagnosis is tougher. Therefore, it’s essential to bear in mind the signs, which are frequently as follows:
- Tiredness
- Slight bleeding
- Uncomfortable urination
- Irregular periods
- Bleeding between periods
- Indigestion, nausea and vomiting
- Uncomfortable bowel movements
- Back, pelvic and leg pain
- Pain during menstruation, ovulation, and through or after sexual activity
The medical approach selects treatment in a stepwise manner. First, over-the-counter painkillers are prescribed, followed by hormone therapy. But if none of those options relieve your symptoms, surgery could also be essential.
Endometriosis is a disease related to infertility.
How does exercise help ease the pain of endometriosis?
In addition to all treatment options and even surgery, physical activity is crucial to recovery. So much that is taken into account a complementary approach to relieving endometriosis pain and increasing antioxidant and anti inflammatory markers.
Young Women’s Health Center claims that exercise promotes the discharge of endorphins, natural painkillers. In addition, any kind of training improves blood flow and minimizes the quantity of circulating estrogen, which suggests a discount within the symptoms of endometriosis.
For its part, the Victoria Eugenia Hospital, belonging to the Red Cross, underlines meaning rest of the pelvis and lumbar region through postures and stretching. They add that deep respiratory positively affects the muscles on this area.
And as if that wasn’t enough, university studies highlight that combining a food regimen plan with exercise reduces pain brought on by pathology.
Read more: 6 signs of endometriosis it’s essential to know
Exercise and stretching to alleviate endometriosis pain
Sport is mostly good for health. However, in the particular case of acute pelvic pain, probably the most are exercises working on stretching a given muscle group, in addition to respiratory exercises right.
It is best to perform any exercises under the guidance of an authority within the treatment of chronic diseases.
1. Yoga against endometrial pain
Study published by International Journal of Yoga concluded that this discipline reduces dependence on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It states that it is helpful, relieves chronic pelvic pain and contributes to improving patients’ quality of life.
In the identical spirit, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine overview of crucial events that yoga helps to discover bodily and psychosocial pain-inducing mechanisms in womenthrough mind-body integration.
1.1 Twisting the spine within the supine position
The goal of this pose is to stretch your glutes, chest, and back and relieve myofascial back pain. This must be done as follows:
- Place pillows or yoga blocks under your back and sacrum.
- Lying in your back, place your feet on the ground and bend your knees.
- Spread your arms out to the edges, palms touching the ground.
- Inhale, drawing air towards your belly and lower ribs.
- Exhale and lower your knees to the left.
- Hold the position by taking 5 deep breaths.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the complete process, but this time turning your knees to the appropriate.
1.2 Recovery Position
The regenerating goddess poses lying down balances the nervous system, opens the hips and chest wall, and relaxes. To reach this point, follow the guide below so as:
- Use a roller under your thighs, creating support with pillows and yoga blocks.
- Lie down ensuring your head and spine are supported by pillows.
- Stretch and calm down your arms to the edges, palms facing up.
- Breathe and concentrate on this position for 3 to 10 minutes.
1.3 Relating angle position
Thanks to this asana you’ll de-stress and barely stretch your stomach, reducing pelvic discomfort. Do it as we are saying below using pillows or yoga blocks to make it more comfortable:
- In a seated position, bring your knees to your sides and the soles of your feet together.
- Lie down and deal with the ceiling.
- Stretch your arms along your body, although you can too put your hands in your stomach.
- Stay on this position for five minutes.
Diaphragmatic respiratory
The Chilean Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published the experiment through which 15 women with endometriosis found a link between pain management and respiratory, claiming that the techniques, mainly related to yoga, increased their capability for introspection and brought relief.
With diaphragmatic respiratory, you reduce the stress from the neck to the pelvis and expand the ribs. Using a yoga strap in your lower chest gives you higher results.
Just placed on the belt and take 5 to 10 deep breaths per hour, lying in your back on the ground along with your knees barely bent.
3. Stretching the hip flexor
This dynamic is useful by lengthening the connective tissue and stretching the abdomen, pelvis, chest, and front hips. First you exercise with one leg, then the opposite:
- Kneel on a mat, blanket or towel
- Take a step forward with one leg
- Rest and lift your arms towards the ceiling
- Move forward by lifting your stomach
- Breathe until you are feeling comfortable
- Stay on this position for 1 minute and see how the pelvic floor extends
4. Visualizations of the pelvic floor
It consists in relaxing the pelvic floor, lying face up and barely bending the knees. This exercise is advisable for individuals who experience pain during sexual activity.
To ease the discomfort it’s essential to visualize mental images as you develop diaphragmatic respiratory. Think of the waves generated by a stone falling right into a pond, but bringing the stage to the pelvic floor. The goal is to note the relief of the muscles.
Another possible visualization is the projection of the elevator descending on the pelvis and the door opening.
5. Straightening the hips and buttocks
These are stretching exercises that relieve low back pain related to endometrial problems. The practice is as follows:
- Lie in your back in bed.
- Bend your knees and rest your feet on the mattress.
- One heel goes over the knee of the alternative leg, simulating the number “4” with the lower limbs.
- With one hand, step by step push your leg over the knee, reinforcing the stretch.
- During the movement, the back, shoulders and head remain relaxed without leaving the mattress.
6. Elongation of the shell
This is a restorative position that dilates the diaphragm and elongates the pelvic floor. It is performed as described above:
- Sit in your heels and roll your body forward
- Stretch your arms forward
- Stretch your knees should you want
- Spend a minute on this position, working in your respiratory
7. Groin extension
In addition to stretching the pelvic floor, the tailbone is softened and pain is reduced. The basis of the procedure is lie down, bring your knees as much as your chest, then slowly spread them towards your shoulders. Hold the position for 1 minute, take a deep breath and return to the start line.
Learn more: Endometriosis remedies, symptoms and causes
Does exercise carry any risks as a treatment for endometriosis pain?
With the exception of certain practices that must be avoided, recent research indicates that regular exercise may reduce the chance of endometriosis, in accordance with an announcement from the Western New York Urology Association. They seek advice from research through which women who frequently practiced physical activity before the age of 15 showed a lower tendency to the disease.
Frequent sports activities make the pathology more bearable. When it involves circuits to avoid, we are able to list intense abdominal exercises, burpees, and racing as they might increase the discomfort.
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