Certain conditions can contribute to sudden onset of vaginal, rectal, or abdominal pain with out warning. When this happens, its easy to quickly fall into a loophole of panic, tension, and shallow breathing which feed into the pain cycle.
My goal with this 911 Flow is to educate and empower you with some simple methods you can use to interrupt the pain loop and regain some control in your body. Remember, pain is 100% created by the brain. So, we can tap into techniques that calm the nervous system and ultimately retrain it to be less likely to become hyper-stimulated overall. While not all of these suggestions may be possible for you at the time that your pain begins, try to prepare ahead of time and use as many of the suggestions as you can. Create a 911 Shelf in your bathroom or bedside table drawer so you have the items you need when you need them.
Step 1: Hot Castor Oil Pack
This is one of those steps that may be hard to include when you are right in the middle of a 911 Pain situation, but having supplies ready to go can help. Microwavable heating pads can be ready in minutes, and are typically designed to give off moist heat – the best kind for muscular spasms and cramps. I personally love and use Hot Cherry's therapeutic pillows:
As an added bonus, the oils below have been used for centuries to alleviate pain, particularly in the pelvis and abdomen.
1. Gently massage castor oil (organic, cold pressed) over the lower abdominal area clockwise
2. Place a wool, flannel, or cotton cloth over the skin
3. Cover with hot pack/pad (moist heat is better than electric heat)
4. Relax and breathe 10-15 minutes or until pack is cool
Essential oils for pain and inflammation:
Lavender
Chamomile
Clary Sage
Juniper
Eucalyptus
Rosemary
Peppermint
Add a few 2-4 drops of any or all of these to you castor oil massage for
added benefits! Also use in a diffuser for aromatherapy during the day.
Step 2: Legs Up and Breathe
Most pelvic floors find this position extremely relaxing. It can be done on the floor with legs up the wall, on your bed with legs on the headboard, anywhere you’re comfortable!
Legs also don’t need to be complete straight. You might find it more comfortable to have the knees bent and resting over an exercise ball, or feet kissing soles with the knees open. Experiment and find what works best for you, that’s what matters most. If you were able to create a castor oil pack on the belly, find your space and allow that heat to begin soaking in while you start in with some deep belly breaths. Breathing through the chest and shoulders will only increase your pain and stress the nervous system. Breath deep, and allow the shoulders and jaw to relax.
Step 3: Gentle Hands, Gentle Thoughts
After about 10-15 minutes of heat, your pack will likely be starting to get cool again. This is a good opportunity to begin very gentle circles on the belly. The stimulation is soothing to the nervous system, calms the GI tract, and activates lymphatic drainage. Movement shoulder be very slow, shallow, and always in a direction going from right to left. Continue with your deep belly breathing throughout and spend about 2-3 minutes on the belly. It may sound a bit woo-woo, but research has proven that the nervous system responds very well to positive, encouraging thoughts and mantras. This can be something as simple as repeating the word “calm” over and over in your head or out loud with your breath. Some people find it helpful to recite a prayer used in their particular system of belief. Take the time to discover what works for you, and trust that the body will listen when you speak to it. You have more control than you realize, and once you do realize it, the control becomes yours again.
Step 4: Find Gentle Movement
Once the pain finally begins to subside, it’s important to slowly reintroduce gentle movement back into the system before you jump back up and return to your busy day. Out 1-2 minutes to perform a gentle, repetitive flow that encourages breathing and movement of the spine. Here are a few suggestions to choose from:
- Cat-Cow
- Child's Pose to/from Table Top Pose (hands and knees)
- Windshield Wipers
Step 5: Hydration and Nutrition:
As always, seek to nourish your body with foods that reduce inflammation and encourage cellular healing. This is a much deeper topic than this post can cover, but here's a very general outline to get you started:
Inflammatory:
Dairy from cows
Refined sugars
Gluten/Wheat
Processed/Box foods
Processed meats
Fast Foods
Soda
Alcohol
Anti-Inflammatory:
Water
Fresh fruit + veg
Legumes - lentils
Turmeric
Ceylon Cinnamon
Ginger*
Clove
Garlic*
Onion*
Cayenne**
Black Pepper
Green Tea**
Cacao**
Berries
*Not good for some people – FODMAP Diet
**May cause bladder irritation in those who already have urgency and pain issues
I hope you find these suggestions helpful and encourage you to continue being an ever-squeaky wheel in advocating for your health. Pelvic Floor/Women's Health Physical Therapy is another very valuable and successful resource for treating chronic abdominal and pelvic pain. If you have questions, please reach out. We're here to help!
Update: a newer resource I have discovered is the Livia device, which is designed to decrease pain during menstruation without drugs. I have never used it myself, but if you do, please provide some feedback! I'd love to know! I'm also curious to see if it may help with other (not period-related) pelvic pain. I may try it myself and provide a review in future posts. Stay tuned.
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