Women’s bodies start changing at puberty in very different ways then men. Yes, its an obvious statement but so worth writing. The issues that a young girl may face are different then issues a young woman, of a woman in her reproductive years, of a woman who is in menopause.
Many of the stages of women’s bodies are there to be able to accommodate birth, without them, none of us would be here. In order for birth to occur our bodies must expand and contract on a monthly basis, building and sluicing endometrial tissue, hormones have to ebb and flow and other body parts change in response. We are complex!
With tissue restriction, uterine ligaments shortened on one side for example, the uterus is pulled from centre, this could cause symptoms.
The cascade of issues MAY be:
- pain during menses
- heavy menses
- back pain
- SI joint pain
- bladder issues
- constipation
- knee pain
I say MAY because we, as human beings, are phenomenally adaptable and can have anatomical anomalies which never give us any trouble. But when we have gone the traditional route of trying to sort out pelvic pain or back pain it is worth starting the journey of looking to the organs and their attachments to get relief.
The other issues to look at, that are in my practice, specifically female oriented is breast health. Breasts are influenced by monthly hormone fluctuations, they can become congested and painful, the lymph supply can become sluggish, they can weigh heavily on our bodies and cause postural changes. Women have breast surgery for a multitude of reasons which can leave scaring and pain and can change how we are able to use our shoulders or arms.
During breastfeeding, engorgement, nipple pain, mastitis, plugged ducts, too much milk, too little milk…
Massage therapy can be helpful for clearing blockages, for scarring and many of the other breast issues that occur.