Endometriosis Treatment Through Physical Therapy: Techniques & Principles
Have you heard of physical therapy for endometriosis? We want to let you know that surgery does not have to be your only option to manage pain associated with this chronic, inflammatory disease! A pelvic floor physical therapist is a great addition to your care team because we are specially trained to treat a variety of pelvic floor conditions and help relieve symptoms related to endometriosis. If you haven’t thought of physical therapy as an option for pain management, keep reading below to learn 4 strategies on endometriosis treatment through physical therapy!
Addressing the Nervous System
Chronic pain is unfortunately a common companion to endometriosis. The pain can occur in the low back, abdominal and pelvic regions and can be random or more cyclical. Living with chronic pain can make our nervous system more sensitive, which essentially lowers our threshold to manage pain. Pelvic floor physical therapists can provide education on the nervous system and teach you more strategies to calm it, such as diaphragmatic breathing and progressive relaxation.
Belly breathing is a good start to promote relaxation throughout the entire body and helps to calm the brain, too!
For guidance on how to belly breathe, check out Dr. Mary’s ‘Breathing to Enhance Relaxation’ video HERE
If you are interested in how to complete progressive relaxation, this YouTube video will give you great guidance
Manual Therapy
Physical therapists are specially trained in a variety of hands-on techniques to assess and treat the entire body. We take a close look at the relationship between your muscles, tissues and bones to see if there are any restrictions contributing to your pain. If you have been experiencing chronic pain due to endometriosis, you may have scar tissue from previous surgeries or guarded/restricted tissue from chronic inflammation. A physical therapist can promote blood flow to the restricted tissues, break up any tissue adhesions and promote relaxation to the tissues to improve overall mobility and reduce pain. A pelvic floor specialist will also be able to address more intimate issues related to pelvic pain such as pain with sex as we have additional training to assess your pelvic floor.
Exercise
Physical therapists are also movement specialists and can tailor an exercise program specific to you. For women with endometriosis there is often a focus on overall relaxation and improving mobility at your spine and pelvis. More gentle forms of exercise, such as yoga or walking, may be more comfortable than consistent intense exercise like HIIT workouts or running, which can stress an already inflamed system.
Lifestyle Changes
Some lifestyle factors may be contributing to your ongoing inflammation and pain. At Revitalize we address these functional health topics which may include:
Reducing inflammatory foods (sugar, alcohol, dairy, or wheat) that can contribute to the inflammation already present, and replacing them with lots of healthy protein, fats, leafy green veggies and plenty of water
Reducing environmental toxins in your home including cleaning and skin care products
Assessing your stress, sleep and recovery balance using a heart rate variability monitor
Finding a physical therapist that is trained to assess and treat the pelvic floor can play a major role in managing your symptoms related to endometriosis. At Revitalize Physical Therapy we have a passion for helping women manage pelvic pain so they can return to the activities they enjoy! If you are ready to explore conservative management of your symptoms, we are here to help, visit our website to get started today!
