Yoga and chronic pelvic pain

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is described as noncyclical pain lasting 6 months or more affecting the pelvis, anterior abdominal wall, lower back, or buttocks. It is a worldwide problem affecting women of all ages. It can lead to lower physical performance and quality of life in women.

Chronic pain

When pain becomes persistent, maladaptive neuroplastic changes can occur resulting in upregulation and decreased ability of the nervous system to detect tissue damage. This sensitization of tissues can lead to nociplasticity, where the sensation of pain occurs in uninjured and unthreatened tissues.

There is more and more evidence to support the use of yoga to improve pain and quality of life (QOL) in women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP). While yoga practice may not resolve CPP, it can be a fantastic tool for women to help them manage their pain and improve their QOL.

Benefits of yoga

Benefits identified in the systematic review:

-Yoga postures (asana) can help stretch the pelvic floor muscles as well as stretch and strengthen the hip and the back muscles,

-Breathing practice (pranayama), thanks to the respiratory diaphragm synergy in which the respiratory and pelvic diaphragms move in harmony (downwards with inhalation and upwards with exhalation), can also influence the pelvic floor,

– Meditation (dhyana) can help to address the sensitization of the nervous system, decrease sympathetic nervous system activity, inflammatory markers, and cortisol levels, in addition to an increase in strength, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory capacity.

What do studies say?

The evidence suggests that patients should be open to incorporating 3 to 5 hours of yoga practice per week for 6 to 8 weeks to achieve the best results.

However, that does not mean that shorter daily practice is not worth doing. Start slowly and gradually and build up from there. Namaste.