how to relax pelvic floor muscles from spasms (Page 1)

I have the same problem. Feels like I'm twisted inside and I have to take a bowel movement when I really don't. Check out "pelvic floor dysfunction" - that's probably what you have. The only effective treatment I know of is massage - both the muscles external (stomach, adducters, etc) but also internal (unfortunately, you have to go in through the anus to get at them). There are therapists who do that.

I want to get pregnant. (Running out of time) I do have pretty severe pelvic floor dysfunction, constipation, urinating stopping and starting...severe constipation.....yet we want to get pregnant. I am 40. We want a child. I had one doctor say...having a baby might stretch things out a bit...so your rectal muscles aren't so tight. Is this true? Can someone talk about having constipation...too tight pelvic floor muscles and if pregnancy helps or hurt it worse?

Thank you.
Heidi

I have pelvic floor dysfunction (too tight / spasm) and my pregnancies were NIGHTMARES. Both had to be C-Sections and I spent WEEKS with full-on Labor contractions. I certainly don't regret having kids, but it made thing a lot worse for me. Just be sure to be really ontop of your OB-GYN about the pelvic floor dysfunction.

In order to solve this disorder you have to be committed. It requires, Streching every day, hot baths at least 5 days at the week ( at the beggining), deep breathing, breathing exercises, trigger point thearpy, and just pure relaxation...Go see a Pelvic Floor Thearpist, i recommend Judy Florendo who is stationed in Chicago, she is amazing...Remeber this wont be fixed by 1 session, it requires a lot of hard work, but the rewards will make you so happy....

Many Yoga exercises (breathing, visualization and physical) are of great benefit to pelvic floor muscles. I recommend Cat/Cow, Frog, Downward Dog, Cobra, Crocodile, Plank, Legs Up a Wall(or chair), Fish. Be sure to fully relax after contracting muscles. Rest between exercises.

I suffer from pelvic floor spasms. I have found relief through pelvic floor exercises and pelvic floor stimulation. A uro-gynecologist should be able to assist.

I have been receiving PT from a wonderful therapist for the past two months. Improvement has been good but I still have a ways to go. I do exercises at home and do the hot baths, etc. I am hopeful for a complete recovery. Help is out there. Good luck!

I have similar issues with bowel movemennts. It seems like I can poop normally half way and then it''s stuck. Sometimes if I lean back on the toilet some more will come out but usually I have to resort to using my finger. I''ve been seeing a therapist for several months now but no significant improvement. Is there any one out there in a similar situation? I feel so lost.

I've heard of treatment with simple muscle relaxers. And then I've also heard of localized treatment with botox, to relax the muscles. I've been dealing with whatever is wrong with me since 2003; I'm going to try acupuncture and suggest botox to the next urologist I see next. I wake up and it feels better, but as the day goes on it's like my muscles are flexed the entire day. It doesn't help I have a desk job.

Look for a PT who is trained in something called Strain Counter Strain, if trained in this technique they are official, and could be found on a website for registered PTs who do this technique. It bascially takes a look at the nuromuscular connection that is present, versus just the mechanical problem (spasm or tight muscle). When our muscles are tight or spasming for prolonged period of time, they get kind of "out of sync" and a new (and incorrect) neuro muscular connection is made. The muscle and brain need help reorienting to what they normal set point for the muscle is. SCS trained PTs are trained in putting an involved muscle on slack, such that the muscle and brain can "reset" if you will. This may be the trick. You cannot fix a mechanical problem if a neuromuscular problem is part of the picture and also needs addressing. Good luck. I have had 7 month long challenges with BM/pelvic floor dysfunction. To now realize we have been treating with SCS and uncovered a mechanical problem. I wouldn't have made the progress I have without the SCS. Look it up, and good luck!

I endured radiation and chemo treatment for cancer (anal) in 2002. During treatment I developed a horrible pressure that I was unable to deal with along with a burning feeling along my entire perineum area and was prescribed painkillers. I have been on this medicine now for 8 years and am tired of feeling like this all the time. I believed my disorder to be a nerve disorder but after talking to Neuropathy doctor today, I believe I am suffering from Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. The doctor advised me I will be taking pills the rest of my life to block this feeling and I'm only 49. If I can find some relief through any tips listed in the above posts, I will be forever grateful to each of you ladies for writing in. I believed I was the only person dealing with this. If any of you are "cured", will you please post an update? Thank you to each and everyone of you!

I have suffered with the same issues after having had many surgeries. My doctor will be giving me some Botox injections to help loosen up the rectum.He says that the feeling of not being able to fully eliminate is because of the tightness of the rectum. (It kind of closes up too soon.) He is an excellent specialist and I am excited that he has suggested this as a possible solution to my problem. It makes a lot of sense and then reading these other posts, I can see that others suffer with this too. I have been to a therapist in the past (after surgeries) and may check about returning for this.

Hi Female6

I just found this web site. And i'm going through the same thing. Did the Botox work for you.

To relax the muscles you need to push down like you are peeing or pooping. It is the reverse of kegels. Kegels tighten the muscles pushing down relaxes it. You will need to do this on a continuous basis throughout the day. After 1 day I felt better. Hope this helps.

Thank all of you for some very good advice. I had this condition come on me suddenly about four years ago, and it has progressively gotten worse. I have a physical therapist who performs internal trigger point releases intravaginally, a pain management specialist who injected the spasms with botox for about a year (until I had a severe allergic reaction and cannot have them any longer); she is my most valuable medical professional, managing my unrelenting pain. I have seen a specialist out of town (who was featured on 20/20) who prescribed valium suppositories (10 mg. from a compound pharmacy), and find myself now on Fentanyl patches and oxycodone for breakthrough pain. This illness has been most debilitating and life-changing. Bladder and bowel function is affected. I have found that 2 to 3 250-mg caplets of magnesium resolved my constipation problems (of which there have been many, most caused by medications). "Bearing down" against the spasms does help short term; I haven't had much success with warm baths. If anyone out there has any other suggestions I would be much obliged. If I could find a neurologist/neurosurgeon to sever the nerves serving this neuopathic pain, I would have the surgery to cut off the pain entirely and take my chances at being wheel-chair bound. This is not an end-of-life condition, but it surely has ended my life as I once knew it.

I have a long history of bladder infections and have now been diagnosed with a tight pelvic floor muscle which causes urinary retension and constipation. I have tried pelvic floor PT and massage, hot baths,but not vaginal valium. My urogonocolygist has suggested Interstim, a "pacemaker" like divice that you turn on to stimulate the nerves that inervate the pelvic floor. No Thanks. I've been managing by sitting in hot sitz baths, but I feel as if it's taken over my life. Any input would be appreciated.

Wow, your problem sounds exactly like mine! I had just gotten off a flight and suddenly I had this horrible stabbing in my abdomen and it has continued like that for the last 3 years. And the worst part is how it utrns your life upside down, not to mention what all the pain killers are doing to your body. I only have bladder problems but also have endometriosis and pelvic floor dysfunction. I have done every treatment imaginable (I even moved to Moscow to see if the doctors there could help me). It seems like no onw knows how to cure it. PT helps to an extent and I had botox, which helped a little.

About your question of having your nerves severed-I had the nerves by my uterus (the ones that cause cramps and contractions when you are pregnant)severed along with a laparoscopy and botox. Cutting the nerves helped a little. I had this done at St Joseph's hospital in AZ-they have a Center for Pelvic Pain. Did you do PT while you had the botox? I know exactly how you feel-there are times when I wish someone would just take everything out of my abdomen. Unfortunately, I don't think any dr will cut out all of your nerves. By the way, as I said I have done every treatment imaginable and seen tons of drs. I have called many neurologists and they won't deal with patients who have nerve problems in their pelvis.

WHen this first started I had an illiolingual nerve block which helped a little. You may want to look into that-the dr who did it is extremely nice but just a warning his staff are horrible. His name is Dr Dawson and he is in Marin, CA. He is a pain specialist and surgeon and is up on all of the latest procedures. Have you tried a tens unit? It stimulates your nerves.Also, before my surgery, my pain was so out of control that I was frequently in the ER so my dr showed me how to give myself Demerol injections(just shows how desperate I was-I'm terrified of needles!) anyway, demerol seems to help better than any other pain killer. There are suppositories you can have made out of belladonna and opium(the dr in AZ prescribes this to pelvic pain patients). I'd recommend getting on prozac-they gave me that in Russia for another purpose but I'm SO glad they did. This is a horrible way to live and it's hard to have hope One last suggestion-the one thing all of the drs (in the U.S> and Russia)agree on is getting pregnant "cures" this problem. I'm seriously considering this option now! Good luck and know that you're not alone:)

I had interstim implants -- one on each side for 2 years for my pelvic floor dysfunction and interstitial cystitis...did not help me at all. The stimulator aggravated nerves on my right side perineal area, made things worse when I had it turned on. BUT I am a big fan of TRYING EVERYTHING...because some things work for some of us and some things don't. Can't rule anything out until you've tried it. I have piriformis syndrome as well as pelvic floor dysfunction and I struggle w/ constipation issues (which my dr thinks has to do more with my pfd than constipation). My hips and sacrum are also an issue. My most recent PT has me using an exercise ball for pelvic floor exercises -- helps some. I am also trying the Chiropractor now, who also uses the exercise ball for stretching exercises. It's a chronic problem for me, so I know I have to stay on top of stretching and I am trying to work on relaxation as well. I am a very anxious, high strung person...and my muscles in my pelvis seem to go along w/ my personality! Makes me a little crazy at times, but I have to keep on goin'! Going to try the valium supp...my dr had me using a valium tablet intravaginally, but they do not dissolve well at all and I never had any benefit from that. I have had IC and PFD for 10 years now and have seen so many doctors, physical therapists, psychologist, psychiatrist -- so far my Urogynecologist has been the MOST helpful of ALL. I have some kind of nerve pain vaginally that comes and goes randomly - I cannot figure out what triggers it ... definitely muscle and nerve related. Next I am going to look in to pudendal nerve blocks to see if that may help me. SO relieved to see that I am not alone in this pain...sometimes I feel very alone and it's difficult because noone understands -- my pain is INVISIBLE to everyone else and I hide it well when I am flared up. Always challenging, but happy that I found this forum! Cindie

what type of exercises has your therapist recommended?

I have been fighting pelvic floor spasms for many years. They come and go so quickly the best thing I can do is sit on two tennis balls. I had a pt recommend this several years ago, two tennis balls in a sock and tie the knot close so the balls are not able to move around. Sit directly on the balls and it pushes on the muscles that are in spasm. It relieves the pain in just a couple of minutes. I have not had the spasm come on much durring a bowl movement but for me it happens more fequently after intercourse.

I've read about sitting on a tennis ball(only one though)to relax the muscles. I don't feel the spasms, or have any pain. I just have this tight muscle that makes it so hard to pee and move my bowels. Hot baths definately help. I've tried stretches, yoga ones and what the therapist recommended, but I gave up. I need to try again I guess.......

I have suffered with IC and PFD for 3 years and before that too-but not as bad. It took a year of hard work to get a diagnosis. I am getting better and planning on beating this. I stretch 3X per day, listen to relaxation podcasts everyday, take purcocet 3X per day, imovane at night to sleep,plus elmiron for the IC, get a massage twice per week, see my PF physiotherapist 3X per week, a physio once per week for my piriformis, sacrum, hip flexors, hamstrings. I was taking robaxocet and flexeril -maximum doses of each three times per day for 15 months. Aspirin 2X per day. Nexium to keep my stomach together. AND
I AM MUCH BETTER. I AM HAPPY. Hardwork and a definite brain effort to stay as stressfree as possible is essential. I will be finished with this by next year. I am now in the phase of strengthening. There is hope girls.

I had to have a historectomy in Sept at age 34, then in Nov I had to have my appendix removed which somehow caused a vaginal cuff leak. In Jan I was released from doctors care because he said I was 100% normal and could perform any duty I did prior to surgery. On June 13th I went in after having intercourse for the first time since the surgery and I had servere pain and a really stong aweful odor. Turns out my intestine was pushing through the same vaginal cuff leak that my doctor said in Jan was completely healed. After a massive surgery and a short hospital stay I was rushed to the ER because I could not empty my bladder. When I got to the hospital I had 2100 CCs of urine removed and my bladder, pelvic floor, and anal area began to spasm so bad I could not walk. This went on for several weeks. I was prescribed vailume to take internally, oxtincontin with percoset for breakthru pain and told to go to rehab. The therapist was nice and gave me way more information than the doctor about what had happened but it was so expensive and she would only see me once a week. I am a single mother of two with a very demanding career and did not see how rehab once a week would do me any justice so I called the only doctor I knew I could trust and he is my Chiropracter. Sound crazy I know but I did not know what else to do. He said he was not sure if he could help me but he was gonn do his best. Since then I have gone in to see him almost daily, he has done a shock therapy that he placed on my inner thighs and he massaged all of the surrounding outer muscles in effort to teach them how to relax again. I am here to tell you that after 5 weeks of working with him almost constantly, I am back to work, able to drive, I can walk again, and I can take care of my kids. I have spasms still but they are a whole lot less painful and they occur mostly when I empty my badder or walk for too long. I am not going to him for therapy 2 times a week for the next 6 weeks and then we are going to work on rebuilding my core so that I can help support the muscles. If I did as the surgeon told me to do I would have had my 3rd therapy this week and would have still been bound to my house. When I tell you this has been the worst most painful expierience of my life I am serious. I was so bad off that my mother had to drive 250 miles here to take care of myself and my children for a month. It is worth trying.

It is so amazing to hear that there is a "cure" for this horrible problem! I have also gone to a chiropractor and the first time it really helped, but the next time he did something different and had no effect. Could you please post what exactly he did or if there is some name for it? I'm desperate and will try ANYTHING! Thank you for letting us know there's hope!

It is great to hear that there is a treatment that works.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Your story has inspired me and know that there is hope out there.
I hope you read this message as i would like to know the name of the treatment or technique your chiropractor used. Which state is your chiropractor located in?
desperate for relief. also, have 2 small girls and mom has been trying to help me out on a daily basis.

It is great to hear that there is a treatment that works.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Your story has inspired me and know that there is hope out there.
I hope you read this message as i would like to know the name of the treatment or technique your chiropractor used. Which state is your chiropractor located in?
desperate for relief. also, have 2 small girls and mom has been trying to help me out on a daily basis.

I am a male with PFD with the same symptoms as most of you here. By the time I actually complete an 8 hr sleep cycle, I have usually been awake for the last 3 -4 hrs and made 5+ trips to the toilet for a pee and another 3 - 4 for my bowels, shifting a bit at a time with lots of accompanying pain etc. With men, this condition also effects erectile function. Have just started with PSD physio, but frankly, have little hope of improving the condition. The problem had been most pronounced over the last few years and seems to be getting worse. I am 58.