In a recent episode of the wildly popular Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building,” the pelvic floor was an unexpected plot point. Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin) was visiting chiropractor Dr. Maggie (Veanne Cox). He wanted to find out more about Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch), the (spoiler alert) murdered stunt double who was also a dear friend. After talking to Dr. Maggie, Charles realized that his relationship with Sazz might not have been as good as he thought it was, and he became depressed. Glenn (Paul Rudd), feeling sorry for him, asked, “What have you got for heartache, Mags?”
“Well,” she replied, “relationship worries are stored in the pelvic floor so….”
“Whoa ho ho! No. No,” Charles said nervously, while protectively putting his hands over his crotch.
It’s a typically funny Steve Martin moment but also a teachable one.
I think most of us understand that the mind affects the body. Anyone who has ever felt her heart race or stomach hurt during a stressful moment knows this all too well! Stress may also play a part in the health of your pelvic floor: It makes our muscles tighten, which can slow down circulation, both of which can potentially result in pelvic floor dysfunction.
Relationship worries are a factor that can give rise to dyspareunia, which frequently shows up in women who have hit menopause, though it can occur even if you are pre-menopausal. Up to one-half of postmenopausal women may be affected by dyspareunia. Put simply, it’s pain during sex, and that can be just a little bit up to extremely uncomfortable. Maybe you thought this was normal? Your cross to bear? You’ll be happy to learn that it’s not, and is definitely treatable. It can be helped by changing the soap you use to a milder one, using lube when you have sex, vaginal estrogen if atrophy is a concern, and counseling. Relationship problems aren’t the only possible emotional cause of dyspareunia. Being taught that sex is something to feel guilty about, past sexual abuse, or even a previous traumatic pelvic exam could be to blame.
Vaginismus is one cause of dyspareunia. We don’t know how many women suffer from it because we’re not encouraged to talk about it, even in this day and age, but we know physical and emotional trauma can be a factor. The muscle spasms and pain of it can make penetration impossible, which of course can be incredibly frustrating for both you and your partner. Talk and sex therapies can help. Getting treatment can greatly increase your quality of life, since a healthy sex life is so important for our happiness!
The pandemic may have given some of us a condition known as “pandemic pelvis.” COVID was, in some ways, the perfect storm for pelvic floor dysfunction. Those strong emotions the pandemic unleashed – stress and fear – could have been the reason our pelvic floor muscles were tightening. (We were also likely in front of the computer more than usual, perhaps in a seat that wasn’t super ergonomic and were coughing a lot, which is not great for incontinence!)
The University of Miami recommends getting more active as a way to deal with stress. “Physical activity is a great way to clear your mind, spend time in nature, reduce stress on the body from prolonged sitting, and encourage blood circulation—all of which can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression,” the university notes.
One cause of pelvic floor dysfunction is straining to have a bowel movement, which is something many of us might do when we are rushed and stressed! Increasing fluids, having a healthy diet and exercise can help.
Think of the pelvic floor as a messenger, alerting you when you might be experiencing too much stress. It might be just the thing that forces you to take a hard look at the way stress shows up in your life and inspires you to take better care of yourself. Once you are less stressed, it can help not only your pelvic floor, but so many other aspects of your life.
And unlike Steve Martin’s character in “Only Murders,” you don’t need to be stressed at the prospect of pelvic floor physical therapy to treat a pelvic floor condition that may be related to stress! If you are in the New York area, please contact us at Revitalize so we can help you live a less painful and stressful life!