What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition that affects a woman’s reproductive organs. It is a pro- gressive, chronic condition where cells similar to those that line the uterus (the endo- metrium) are found in other parts of the body. There is no known cause for endome- triosis (or endo) although there are possible causes or factors may be different from person to person.
Symptoms of Endometriosis may include:
Pain: Pain is one of the biggest symptoms. This can be pain immediately before and during your period and/or during or after sex. Pain can be felt in the tummy, back, pelvis, with a bowel movement, passing wind or urine, or when you ovulate.
Heavy bleeding: Heavy bleeding can occur with or without clots. Bleeding may be irregular, continue for a long time or you may have spotting before your menstrual period.
Bladder and bowel problems: Bladder and bowel problems may occur, e.g. constipation or diarrhoea, feeling the need to urinate more frequently at different times in your menstrual period, and bloating.
If you think you have endometriosis, see your doctor who can refer you to a gynaecologist. Don’t delay as early diagnosis and treatment may reduce the severity of the disease. Many women do not get a correct diagnosis for up to 7-10 years, often be- cause the symptoms can be different between women and can change over time
What can you do?
Regular physical exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect within the body and can assist in improving symptoms. This makes it a great idea to incorporate exercise into your recovery and disease management. Pain and discomfort associated with Endo- metriosis can cause a guarding mechanism within the body – where the body braces to protect itself from pain. This bracing can affect the pelvic floor, abdominal wall and hip flexors – the front side of the body. When resuming exercise, it is important to first focus on the lengthening and strengthening of these muscle groups. It won’t be possible to strengthen a tight muscle. Exercises based around the principles of Pilates and Yoga can be fantastic to help these muscles release. It is great to then progress to reconnect with your core and the muscles around the pelvis – the pelvic floor and glutes. Gradually strengthening around the low back and pelvic region can help manage your symptoms by balancing out that bracing and tightness through your front core muscles.
If you have been diagnosed with Endometriosis and want to get moving again, it is best to start slowly when experiencing pain or discomfort. Seek the guidance of an Accredited Exercise Physiologist to help return you to the exercise that you love to do – and help you to manage your symptoms going forward!
For further advice regarding appropriate exercises, call our office on 03 9716 2250 and schedule an appointment with Jennifer Loke – Accredited Exercise Physiologist