Hey.. I just came from the physical therapy, doing trigger point therapy.. My question is, my PT says she thinks that the reason I am always so constipated may not be due to IBS, but it may be due to my muscles in the pelvic floor being so tight, that I can't get any out.. She thinks this because I told her when I've had diarrhoea on and off lately.. I said I'll be constipated, and than next thing you know I have diarrhoea, and than I'm constipated again, and back to diarrhoea.. She said her ex husband was a doctor, and he told her he had a lot of patients who thought they had diarrhoea, but it was really that they were constipated.. She said what happens is your body has to push it out some how, you can't stay backed up forever, so it gets real loose and a little finally comes out.. This made sense because when I finally do go, only a little seems to come out, but yet it feels like a lot is..
So can this be due to the muscles being so tight in the pelvic floor, that its not allowing me to have bowel movements.. Could this be possible with most of us, and that's what's actually causing our IBS?
Also, I went to a new primary care physician yesterday (I just got new ins so had to switch pc dr.. He wants me to go to a gastroenterologist, and says I should have colonoscopy.. What do you's think?
Thank you, sorry for the long post
Question about IBS, or tight muscles causing constipation
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BG0013
- Experienced
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 12:18 am
Question about IBS, or tight muscles causing constipation
Age 21.. | Symptoms: Extreme discomfort in bladder, and lower abdomen.. To the point that I can't sit still, and sleep, can't do anything.. The only that will help is getting into the bath... Urinary frequency, Urinary hesitancy, sometimes taking a few minutes to get just a little bit out.. Sometimes lower back pain when I lay down at night.. Never have the golf ball feeling everybody talks about, and never have a problem sitting down.. Helps: Hot baths, Xanax (but makes me extremely tired), stretching (it seems like only sometimes), pain killers (ex: Percocet, but if I take them, they end up making me worse the next days following, probably due to the urinary retention they cause).. Makes worse: Stress is the main main thing, caffeine and spicy foods too, but not really a whole whole lot.. only a moderate amount..
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vengeanz
- New Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:42 am
- Location: Wellington, NZ
Hi BG0013
I used to have terrible constipation and it was excruciatingly painful. I would get a dragging pulling pain before I would go and then when I defecated it felt like I was laying a sandpapered covered egg. I would also have pain for quite awhile after defecation. This was around two years ago.
I found this pain/tightness was caused by my internal trigger points. Almost immediately after starting the Stanford/Wise-Anderson Protocol and trying TPT myself my pain improved. My physio also recommend more fibre, maybe something like metamusil and also changing how I defecated.
She recommended two things:
1. Try squatting when you go to the toilet, it's a much more natural way than sitting upright. Modern toilets apparently are a hazard.
viewtopic.php?t=1254
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squat_toilet
2. If you must sit then lean forward a bit and place your hands on your sides just above your hips. So your thumbs are maybe on your kidneys and your fingers wrapped around to the front. Then when you go to the toilet bulge your stomach out (but don't strain!). You should be able to feel your stomach expanding in your hands. This is supposed to open up your muscles and make defecating easier.
This is just what she told me, it may or may not help you but I have almost no pain/problems with defecating now.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Vengeanz
I used to have terrible constipation and it was excruciatingly painful. I would get a dragging pulling pain before I would go and then when I defecated it felt like I was laying a sandpapered covered egg. I would also have pain for quite awhile after defecation. This was around two years ago.
I found this pain/tightness was caused by my internal trigger points. Almost immediately after starting the Stanford/Wise-Anderson Protocol and trying TPT myself my pain improved. My physio also recommend more fibre, maybe something like metamusil and also changing how I defecated.
She recommended two things:
1. Try squatting when you go to the toilet, it's a much more natural way than sitting upright. Modern toilets apparently are a hazard.
viewtopic.php?t=1254
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squat_toilet
2. If you must sit then lean forward a bit and place your hands on your sides just above your hips. So your thumbs are maybe on your kidneys and your fingers wrapped around to the front. Then when you go to the toilet bulge your stomach out (but don't strain!). You should be able to feel your stomach expanding in your hands. This is supposed to open up your muscles and make defecating easier.
This is just what she told me, it may or may not help you but I have almost no pain/problems with defecating now.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Vengeanz
Age: 25 | Onset Age: Not sure , 16? | Symptoms: pelvic pain, defecation pain, lower abdominal pain, leaky urine flow | Helped By: Heat, hot baths, relaxation, music | Worsened By: Sitting, Stress and Stressful situations, lack of sleep.
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rider fan
- Veteran
- Posts: 204
- Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2006 8:46 pm
- Location: Canada
Yes, I agree completely! I've mentioned before that I noticed that when I relaxed my muscles for a period of time that I find I need to have a bowel movement. I think this is why I'm often constipated!
Age: 32 | Symptoms: Twingy pain/muscle spasms in groin area (gone), tingling sensation at tip of penis (has resolved as of now), urinary frequency (resolved as of now), thicker/decreased amount of semen (resolved as of now). Makes better: Stretching, Relaxing pelvic muscles, moment to moment relaxation, not sitting with legs crossed, Elavil, quercetin. Makes worse: Sitting, stress, more than one orgasm/day, constipation, manual labour
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Gettingbetter
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2004 8:48 am
- Location: Sweden
Sometimes when I go to the toilet and when I feel very "full" in my stomach I do the following:
I take some baby oil on my finger and then I hold it under a hot stream of water for a few seconds. Then I put it inside my rectum and the hot water makes the whole system relax down there. This make the feces come! I repeat this until I feel completely empty. Sometimes I also do some muscle stretching with my finger while I'm in there. This could be messy though and sometimes my pelvis tenses up quite bad afterwards but it usually softens after an hour...
Before I did this my feces where like spaghetti
and now they are normal sized 
My anal fissure and haemorrhoids also healed after I begun with this "technique"...this really helps for me!
I take some baby oil on my finger and then I hold it under a hot stream of water for a few seconds. Then I put it inside my rectum and the hot water makes the whole system relax down there. This make the feces come! I repeat this until I feel completely empty. Sometimes I also do some muscle stretching with my finger while I'm in there. This could be messy though and sometimes my pelvis tenses up quite bad afterwards but it usually softens after an hour...
Before I did this my feces where like spaghetti
and now they are normal sized My anal fissure and haemorrhoids also healed after I begun with this "technique"...this really helps for me!Age:33 | Onset Age: 18 Old | Symptoms:Tight feeling in the pelvis and abdomen, burning in urethra and tip of penis,perineum, discharge from penis when it was the worst
Current symptoms: Mild discomfort in perineum, sometimes stomachaches
Helped By: Relaxation,breathing exercise, stretching,positive thinking, internal/external massage | Worsened By:Stress, too much sex/masturbating, Eating to large meals, Alcohol(day after)
Current symptoms: Mild discomfort in perineum, sometimes stomachaches
Helped By: Relaxation,breathing exercise, stretching,positive thinking, internal/external massage | Worsened By:Stress, too much sex/masturbating, Eating to large meals, Alcohol(day after)
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joehansen12
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:43 pm
Three things that seem to help me when I feel constipated...
1. Banana (one in the morning and one before sleep)
2. Brisk walk for 30 mins in the morning after you get up and drink 2 glasses full of water after the walk.
3. Eat raw vegetables in the morning (carrots, cucumber, raddish, beetroot)
When I do these things, I feel good in a couple of days.
1. Banana (one in the morning and one before sleep)
2. Brisk walk for 30 mins in the morning after you get up and drink 2 glasses full of water after the walk.
3. Eat raw vegetables in the morning (carrots, cucumber, raddish, beetroot)
When I do these things, I feel good in a couple of days.
- Age: 26yrs.
- Onset: Nov 2005.
- Initially: Lots of penal pain, , urinary frequency, urgency, painful erections.
- Now: Intermittent Penal pain, constant buttock pain while sitting, painful arousals, pain after ejaculation.
- Medication used till Apr 2006: Cipro, Ceftum, Doxycycline, Gatafloxacin, Lamifloxacin, Prosta-Q
- Current Medication: nil;
- Things that make me feel better: stretching, walking, therapy, hot showers
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BG0013
- Experienced
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 12:18 am
Banana's constipate you more, that is weird it would have the opposite effect on you.
Age 21.. | Symptoms: Extreme discomfort in bladder, and lower abdomen.. To the point that I can't sit still, and sleep, can't do anything.. The only that will help is getting into the bath... Urinary frequency, Urinary hesitancy, sometimes taking a few minutes to get just a little bit out.. Sometimes lower back pain when I lay down at night.. Never have the golf ball feeling everybody talks about, and never have a problem sitting down.. Helps: Hot baths, Xanax (but makes me extremely tired), stretching (it seems like only sometimes), pain killers (ex: Percocet, but if I take them, they end up making me worse the next days following, probably due to the urinary retention they cause).. Makes worse: Stress is the main main thing, caffeine and spicy foods too, but not really a whole whole lot.. only a moderate amount..
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ectobia
- Intermediate Member
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2006 10:11 am
- Location: oklahoma
i've had similiar issues, my urologist wanted to have nothing to do with it, so now I'm on a strict diet, and I know I'm the only one who can make my self better, but follow up with your primary if you have any questions
Age: 23 | Onset Age: 21Symptoms: Urinary problems, Sexual problems, Sitting problems. All very painful | Helped By: Hatha yoga, Trigger point therapy, Avoiding sex . Avoiding Sitting. Relaxation. | Worsened By: Sitting for long periods of time. Sex. Being tense.
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GP2
- Old Hand
- Posts: 394
- Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 10:47 am
- Location: England, UK
Try peppermint capsules or peppermint tea. It works a treat for constipation. I swear by the stuff!
Age: 29 | Onset Age: 26 | Symptoms: initially severe burning throughout pelvis - much better; muscles spasms all over region, back pain, chronic IBS (much better) | Helped By: Psychotherapy, SP stretches, swimming, accepting the condition (understanding there is treatment); stress/anxiety management; possibly basic quercetin; valerian root, vit B & calc & magn supplements; gluten avoidance & especially dealing with chronic constipation. | Worsened By: stress / anxiety, too much sex; repressed emotions; personality goodist traits. 80% better