Managing Pelvic Floor Symptoms: The Impact of Hormones
This week on my Instagram I talked a lot about fertility health, what's important for your fertility health when trying to conceive, how it takes 100 days for a follicle to mature before it releases the egg and how what you do in those 100 days will impact that egg.
BUT what has this got to do with pelvic health and specifically the pelvic floor?
Well for one, those who are trying to conceive will eventually need to think about their pelvic floor and usually want to prevent issues from occurring, but secondly, our reproductive hormones, estrogen and progesterone play a role in more than just the menstrual cycle and your fertility health.
Research tells us that approximately 40% of pre-menopausal women with regular periods complain that their urinary symptoms change with the menstrual cycle with the most problematic time being just before their period.
I know many women haven’t even seen the pattern yet, they just know that some days are worse than others, and when I ask them to track their symptoms across their cycle it is in fact exactly what the research says.
There are estrogen receptors found in the lower urinary tract (including the pelvic floor muscles and connective tissues) which means when estrogen is around it will bind to these receptors and cause certain things to happen.
So what does the presence of estrogen do to these areas?
Estrogen impacts tendons and ligaments by increasing laxity (looseness) and decreasing stiffness of the tissues. This means that the tendons and ligaments connected to the pelvic floor can become more lax when estrogen levels are high in the menstrual cycle. It might feel harder to contract your pelvic floor or feel like there is less strength in the muscle, you might notice it feels heavier and prolapse symptoms are worse or have more leaking because the whole urinary system isn’t as stiff (yes we need some stiffness for proper function).
Not only do you see the typical symptoms of leaking and prolapse worsen during these times of high hormones, but because the pelvic floor plays a role in stabilizing the pelvis we can also see symptoms increase that are related to pelvic stability:
Worse hip or pelvic pain
Worse SI joint pain
Low Back pain
So will a pelvic floor rehab program solve this problem if it's because of hormones?
The answer is YES! Not only does research show us this in clinical trials, but I have seen improvements in my clients.
One particular client had severe urinary leaking and relied on pads every day to get through life. She was unable to go for a walk, walk around at work, do housework or play games with her daughter without leaking. It was worse during ovulation and just before her period.
She signed up to my 12-week rehab plan and by the midpoint of the program we had managed to get her out of pads for most of her cycle except in those high hormone times. Symptoms were still less than before she started working with me, but still there.
Once we continued on progressing her exercise and working on her strength the very last problematic leaking in those points of her menstrual cycle resolved and she could ditch the pads and live life with so much more control.
Even though they were the last to improve, it still improved!
If you experience worse pelvic floor symptoms with your menstrual cycle they can be resolved. It takes time and commitment, but is fully possible!
If you are ready to commit to the process I would love to help you.
I have 2 options for you:
My 12 week 1:1 Pelvic Floor Mastery Rehab Program - a completely individualized rehab program through fortnightly online consultations (click here to learn more)
My 8-week Pelvic Floor Strength Program - a 100% DIY online program for those who have a weak pelvic floor or prolapse (click here to learn more)
If you are not sure which option is best for you, send an email to hello@herexercisephysiology.com.au and I will happily help guide you on the best option for you.
Let’s get you on your way to better control and confidence in your pelvic floor!
