Resolving Women’s Pelvic Floor Issues Naturally

Pelvic floor problems such as leaking, painful sex, and discomfort are a silent epidemic and sometimes a source of shame among women. Sufferers are often told the solution is medication or surgery. Studies show:

• 30 million women suffer from chronic pelvic pain
• 49% of women regularly leak urine
• 40% of all gynecological surgeries and 20% of hysterectomies are due to pelvic pain
• Up to 50% of older women suffer pelvic organ prolapse
• Women spend $880 million out-of-pocket on vaginal problems

Isa Herrera, a physical therapist and expert in integrative pelvic floor therapies for women, suffered pelvic floor dysfunction after the birth of her daughter. Herrera, who has authored four books on the subject, believes women can heal pelvic floor issues through simple exercises, massage, and meditation.

Herrera says women need to be able to shift out of tension to address pelvic issues—and breath is the connector that allows that to happen. Deep “Kegel” breathing, she believes, is the first step to treating pelvic issues.

According to Herrera, women may have knots or trigger points in the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, often as a result of trauma such as abdominal surgery or childbirth. These trigger points must be worked out in order to treat symptoms. This can be done by self-examination and applying pressure to, or massaging, the affected areas. It is important to be fully healed from any trauma or injury before beginning this type of work.

Kegel exercises can be used very effectively for certain types of pelvic issues, generally those related to a hypotonic (or relaxed) pelvic floor. Symptoms such as leaking or frequent urination can benefit from Kegel exercises. However, Kegel exercises should not be used to treat issues related to a hypertonic (or tense) pelvic floor. These symptoms, which may include pain during intercourse or urination, benefit from a relaxation of the pelvic floor coordinated by breath.

Herrera offers an online master class for women who wish to use her methodology to treat pelvic floor dysfunction.