Yoga for Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain is a common debilitating condition that greatly impacts a person’s health and quality of life. Often, the origin of the pain can have one or several causes including: endometriosis, vulvodynia, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, adenomyosis, fibroids, celiac disease, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, and chronic urinary tract infections, to name a few5. Sometimes, the exact origin of the pain is unknown, even stated as high as 61% of chronic pelvic pain cases5. To learn more about the interactions between these conditions and how they can cause chronic pain see this previous blog post here. 

Now that we know what can cause chronic pelvic pain, what can be done about it?

While for some cases, the treatment may be medical or surgical, what happens to those whose pain cannot be blamed on a specific diagnosis, or those who do not see improvement after medical or surgical intervention? A multidisciplinary approach is recommended here to address the multifactorial causes of pain. One arm of a multidisciplinary approach may include yoga therapy to address the psychological and physical aspects of pain. One reason yoga can be beneficial in any type of chronic pain management, is the decrease in sympathetic nervous system activity, inflammatory markers, and cortisol levels with a regular practice4. 

Several studies have pointed to the benefits of yoga specifically for management of pelvic pain of different causes1,2,3,4,5. In a randomized clinical trial for women with painful periods, or dysmenorrhea, there was a significant reduction in duration and intensity of pain compared to the control group for the women who performed cat, fish, and cobra pose daily during the luteal phase of their cycle3. In a recent systematic review (a summary of all the existing data on a topic) of the effects of yoga on chronic noncyclical pelvic pain, in the three studies included, all three intervention groups had statistically significant improvements in quality of life and pain scores4. 

Look out for our next blog post with photos and written instructions on an easy to follow, research backed, yoga practice you can begin incorporating into your wellness routine to improve your pelvic pain.

As a supplement to yoga, pelvic floor physical therapy has been shown to improve chronic pelvic pain as well4. At Femina Physical Therapy, all of our physical therapists have specialized training to address the musculoskeletal components of your pain and will work with your other healthcare providers in a collaborative manner to maximize symptom-relief and improve your quality of life. Reach out to our team to get started.

Resources

1. Gonçalves AV, Barros NF, Bahamondes L. The Practice of Hatha Yoga for the Treatment of Pain Associated with Endometriosis. J Altern Complement Med. 2017;23(1):45-52. doi:10.1089/acm.2015.0343
2. Gonçalves AV, Makuch MY, Setubal MS, Barros NF, Bahamondes L. A Qualitative Study on the Practice of Yoga for Women with Pain-Associated Endometriosis. J Altern Complement Med. 2016;22(12):977-982. doi:10.1089/acm.2016.0021
3. Rakhshaee Z. Effect of three yoga poses (cobra, cat and fish poses) in women with primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized clinical trial. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2011;24(4):192-196. doi:10.1016/j.jpag.2011.01.059
4. Russell, N., Daniels, B., Smoot, B., & Allen, D. D. (2019). Effects of yoga on quality of life and pain in women with chronic pelvic pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Women's & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, 43(3), 144-154.
5. Saxena R, Gupta M, Shankar N, Jain S, Saxena A. Effects of yogic intervention on pain scores and quality of life in females with chronic pelvic pain. Int J Yoga. 2017;10(1):9-15. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.186155