Why Your Pelvic Floor Issues Feel Worse On Your Period

Uh-oh! It's time for your period, and without fail, it makes your prolapse, pee leaks, or pelvic pain worse.

It's not all in your head. I see this very, very frequently.

Here's How Your Period and Your Pelvic Floor Are Connected

Your Uterus Is Larger

Your uterus is a little bigger and heavier right before you start your period. As a result, if you suffer from uterine prolapse, your uterus is actually going to be more difficult for your pelvic floor and core system to support during this time.

If you are dealing with a rectal (rectocele) or bladder (cystocele) prolapse, your uterus might irritate these organs and aggravate your symptoms.

Don't forget you can have multiple organ prolapse as well, but all of these conditions can be improved with pelvic floor physical therapy.

Hormone Changes

Hormone changes during your period may create a more sensitive vaginal flora, increasing tenderness and tension in the pelvic floor, which can create or aggravate pelvic pain and painful intercourse. This should resolve a couple of days after your period ends.

Hormone changes during your period may also affect your bowel movements. If you end up a little constipated toward the start of your period, this will affect your prolapse symptoms as well by increasing the amount of straining on the toilet, or simply having more stool in the rectum can aggravate sensations of heaviness for all organs.

Pee Leaks

Constipation and uterine growth during your period can aggravate the bladder, creating more propensity toward pee leaks as well. So if you are dealing with incontinence, this may get worse during your period.

Stress

For my mamas that clench their abs, jaw, and pelvic floor all day, stress associated with fatigue and hormone changes around your period might just increase your clench!

Unfortunately, this means more bearing down in the core system throughout the day, resulting in aggravation of prolapse and pee leak symptoms.

What Can We Do?

Your period does not have to be a horrible experience. In fact, your period is a good marker of your overall health.

Fixing issues such as bearing down strategies, pelvic floor tension, constipation and core system strength can heal these symptoms for you ALL the time, not just on your period.

When you have pelvic floor issues, they get worse during menstruation. When you don't have pelvic floor issues, they don't get worse during menstruation!

Pelvic floor physical therapy can also help decrease the amount of cramping you experience on your period as well.

If you are struggling with symptoms on your period, make sure you book an appointment with pelvic floor PT today!

Click here to schedule with us!

Want to learn more about your pelvic floor or find out if pelvic floor physical therapy is for you? Make sure you check out our blog The Ultimate Guide to Know If Pelvic Floor PT is For You.