In light of endometriosis awareness month running throughout March 2020, Laura Maleh, our specialist women’s health physiotherapist, talks about endometriosis and the role physiotherapy can play in treating it.
Endometriosis (pronounced en-doh-mee-tree-oh-sis) is the name given to the condition where cells, like the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus), are found elsewhere in the body. This is a very painful chronic condition.
According to Endometriosis UK:
– 1 in 10 women of reproductive age in the UK suffer from endometriosis
– 10% of women worldwide have endometriosis – that’s 176 million worldwide
– The prevalence of endometriosis in women with infertility can be as high as to 30–50%
– Endometriosis is the second most common gynecological condition in the UK
– Endometriosis affects 1.5 million women in the UK, a similar number of women affected by diabetes
– On average it takes 7.5 years from the onset of symptoms to get a diagnosis
– The cause of endometriosis is unknown and there is no definite cure
Symptoms can range from painful menstruation, painful intercourse, fatigue, infertility, pelvic pain, and painful or difficult defecation. Due to these symptoms caused by endometriosis, women may feel isolated, depressed, have reduced uptake of exercise and miss out on social engagements and work.
As a women’s health physiotherapist, we work very closely with the pelvic area, spine and abdomen. Treatment is tailored around the alignment, muscle system, fascial systems, and movement patterns in the pelvis and body. Looking specifically at issues that affect their pain and decrease their quality of life.
A physiotherapy treatment plan is customised to specific needs, ranging from alleviating pelvic floor dysfunction to improving your sex life. Management can include the following:
– Creating a better pelvic floor – either through strengthening or relaxing the pelvic floor muscle
– Helping to make sexual intercourse less painful
– Treating other causes of pain in the body
– Manual therapy for scars, bladder and bowel
– Exercise therapy
– Education around the condition and self-management strategies
– Acupuncture for pain relief
For any further information or support head to endometriosis-uk.org. Or any medical concerns please visit your GP.
Laura Maleh is a specialist women’s health physiotherapist. She holds a BSc in Physiotherapy from King’s College London, and a BSc in Medical Sciences from Sheffield University. She spent ten years working in the NHS before joining The Portland Hospital. Laura is a member of the CSP and POGP (Pelvic Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy). Passionate about empowering women to improve their quality of life, Laura enjoys treating pregnant women and has extensive experience helping women with bladder and bowel problems, pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction. Laura has completed numerous postgraduate courses to, manage complex female pelvic pain and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, and functional assessment of the female pelvic floor.
Laura’s clinic is on Sundays from 9.00am – 2.00pm at triyoga Camden. Click here to view her schedule and to book an appointment.