Health & Wellbeing
MANAGING PELVIC PAIN
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any men and women struggle silently with ongoing pelvic pain. There are many possible causes of this. Pelvic pain is described as pain below your belly button. It can be in your abdomen and also in the genital area. New pain should always be investigated, so do contact your GP. Pain lasting more than 6 months is referred to as chronic pelvic pain [CPP]. Once all investigations have cleared any sinister causes, it may be worth seeking some professional help. Traditional physiotherapy techniques can be helpful. These can include soft tissue release, relaxation, breathing, lifestyle advice or even acupuncture. Occasionally, pelvic pain can link back to an earlier traumatic life event and people’s bodies can have a physical response to a psychological experience. This can also be helped by a practitioner specially trained in this area.
A simple way to help this situation is to try this exercise. n Try to let your tummy relax and watch as
you take a deep breath letting it expand. This gives some space for your breathing muscle, the diaphragm, to dome down allowing your lower lungs to expand. It feels quite different. n Now take normal
sized breaths and concentrate just your breathing for a few minutes.
n Try to do this each
day as evidence tells us that this affects the central nervous system and can reduce pain and anxiety.
If you search ‘Breathing exercises for stress NHS’ you will find a simple guide to doing this each day. Make it part of your routine. Take care, have a happy Christmas and a healthy, relaxed New Year.
As we head towards the celebration of Christmas, it is noticeable how much more stressed and anxious people become. This can also be a cause of pelvic or abdominal pain. When people are anxious, they don’t breathe properly. They take short, shallow breaths just using their upper lungs, raising their shoulders and pulling their tummies in. This doesn’t help chest, abdominal or pelvic function.
30 | SKBramhall & Woodford - November/December 2021
Dee Woodcock. Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist. Bramhall Osteopathic Practice www.bramhall osteopathic practice.co.uk
