Jeff Krauss M.D.

This post was written with contributions from Kandis B. Daroski, DPT, and Bijal Toprani, DPT.

Taking a deep breath is a proven technique to help reduce blood pressure and relieve stress in adults. But could that deep breath also help support pelvic health?

For years, controlled breathing techniques have been used as part of yoga practice and taught in Lamaze classes in preparation for childbirth, as they enhance relaxation and ease muscle tension. The same is true for other types of musculoskeletal issues whether it be back pain, neck pain, or dysfunction of other joints, including pelvic conditions.

Understanding the Muscles in Your Pelvic Floor

Pelvic floor musclesPelvic floor muscles are located at the base of the pelvis with openings for your urethra and anus for males, and urethra, anus, and vagina in females. Picture a group of muscles shaped like a bowl at the bottom of your torso, stretching from your pubic bone in the front to your tailbone in the back. This is your pelvic floor. Like the foundation of a house, your pelvic floor supports everything above it. That includes all your major organs—your bladder, intestines, stomach, uterus, and more. The muscles and tissues of your pelvic floor are flexible, making them more like a hammock than a hard concrete floor.

Pelvic floor disorders occur when the tissues of the pelvic floor become injured, weakened, or tense. Pelvic floor disorders should be thought of as musculoskeletal issues, such as a broken ankle or sprained shoulder, because the pelvic floor contains the same structures—muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Just like any other muscle, the pelvic floor muscles can develop pain or weakness. When this happens, it can cause many different symptoms—leaking urine, constipation, pelvic and vaginal pain, organ prolapse, and more. As you can see, the pelvic floor plays a role in so many different body functions.

Source: madison lavern/Unsplash

Stress and Your Pelvic Floor

Stress can cause muscle tension, including in the muscles of your pelvic floor. This can cause pain and dysfunction by decreasing blood flow and circulation. You may not even be aware of holding tension in this area. Ever caught yourself holding your breath or clenching your teeth when you were nervous, sad, or angry? Your pelvic floor is no different. It can be more sensitive to stress due to the rich network of nerves that control bladder, bowel, and reproductive and sexual function—and chronic pain can be due to over-sensitization of nerves anywhere in the body. It’s important to note that although pelvic floor issues are often overlooked, they are not uncommon. A recent study showed that in the United States, nearly 62 percent of women ages 20 and older experienced urinary incontinence, representing more than 78 million women.

How Meditation Can Support Pelvic Health

Meditation and breathing help us relax, reducing stress and anxiety, and good breathing techniques are a part of many pelvic floor physical therapy treatment plans. Slow, deep breathing, also called diaphragmatic breathing,¹ provides a gentle expansion or stretch to your pelvic floor muscles so they can remain strong and flexible. On the other hand, quick, shallow breathing prevents your pelvic floor from fully relaxing. This can cause increased tightness and weakness and, over time, lead to pain, or even urinary leakage and prolapse.

By reducing stress levels and improving breathing patterns, meditation can indirectly help alleviate or manage various pelvic health conditions. In fact, research suggests that mindfulness-based stress reduction can reduce the symptoms of urinary incontinence, ease the symptoms of menopause, and reduce pelvic pain and discomfort. One of your body’s automatic responses to stress is to tense your pelvic floor—without you even being aware of it. If you’re in constant stress over time, your pelvic floor can become tight and fatigued, leading to pain, spasms, and urinary urgency and frequency. And, surprisingly, tension in other areas (like your jaw, abdomen, or hips) can affect your pelvic floor. Guided meditation sessions are game-changing for learning to bring awareness to your pelvic floor and practicing the coordination between your pelvic floor muscles and breath.

Pelvic health is a critical component of overall health, and the first step to addressing any symptom is awareness that pelvic disorders exist. Many women’s pelvic health symptoms unfortunately go unnoticed or untreated due to stigma, a lack of awareness about pelvic health, and inadequate access to pelvic floor physical therapists. As a result, the average time it takes for women to receive care for certain conditions can be more than six years. The good news is that pelvic floor conditions are treatable with the right diagnosis, and adding meditation to a pelvic health physical therapy plan can enhance your results with the increased benefit of reducing overall stress and anxiety. Learning to use guided meditation to connect to your breath and pelvic floor muscles gives you a powerful tool for reducing symptoms on your own, whenever you need.

References

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing for Pelvic Health. Hinge Health Learning Center.