How Yoga helps women overcome the pain of menstruation
Most of the women menstruate about once a month during their reproductive years, and this article will look at how yoga can help overcome premenstrual syndrome and other aches and pains due to menstruation. Let’s start with the scientific bit that you can skip if you are not into scientific jargons.
Sciences tell us that:
At birth the ovary contains about 400,000 of follicles that are balls of cells with an immature egg in the centre. Only a small number (300 to 500) will develop into a mature egg.
Under the influence of hormones produced by the body, the follicles start maturing. The ovary produces 2 females' sex hormones Oestrogen and progesterone. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland control their production.
The hypothalamus secretes a hormone called the Gonadrotrophin- releasing factor (GNRH) that then releases two gonadrotrophin, follicule-stimulating hormone. The FSH encourages some immature egg follicule to grow. It helps the one egg that does mature fully to push it way out of the ovary. It stimulates the manufacture of the hormone oestrogen inside the ovary and may also help to prepare the ovaries to produce progesterone. Another hormone the LH (luteinizing hormone) governs ovulation; when the immature egg breaks through, the ovary wall surrounding cells forms a yellow body (corpus luteum) which secretes progesterone.
The pituitary gland guides the ovaries in their manufacture of oestrogen, which role is to stimulate the lining of the uterus to grow in the preparation for implantation of a fertilised egg. It is also guide the production of progesterone that prepares the lining of the uterus to support life at the beginning of a pregnancy. The word progesterone comes from a Greek word meaning "favouring birth ". If there is no conception, the oestrogen and prosterogene levels drop, the tiny arteries and veins in the uterus pinch themselves off. The lining is no longer nourished and is shed. This is menstruation.
From the first menstruation to the menopause: an overview of the changes in women’s bodies
Young women usually get their period or menarche (from the Greek Arche meaning beginning) at the average of 12,5 or a bit later in the adolescent. With the seasonal changes, it is getting even sooner for some women. Though menarche should be a joyful time, many women due to their family history view their period as a curse. What a pity! A time of rest and restore, where we care for our body, mind and soul listening more in depth to the message of the body is overlooked.
In all societies, many women suffer from pre-menstrual syndrome. PMS is the term for a group of emotional, mental, and physical symptoms that affect women during the days leading up to menstrual period. The symptoms are various such as fluid retention, mood changes, depression, weight gain, urinary tract infection, breathlessness, nasal congestion, headaches, susceptibility to conjunctivitis, etc. The exact cause of PMS is unknown, but it is thought to be related to hormonal changes.
Also at the time of menstruation, some women suffer from mild to severe pains in the abdominal area. The uterus undergoes strong and frequent contractions. Women who suffer from Dysmenorrhoea have uterine contractions that are particularly painful. As the process is nearing its peak, in addition, there is less time between each contraction, which means that the uterus is less often released and pain free. The blood circulation becomes irregular to the uterus and the lack of oxygenated blood makes the nerves' endings even more sensitive causing contraction to feel worse. The worst pain occurred after the peak of uterine contraction until the uterus had relaxed completely. These are real physical pain, not just psychological pain, or some figment of women’s imaginations. As we will see below yoga offers some good asanas to relieve this pain.
The average age when menstruation stops, when a woman enters to menopause is 51,5. The term climacteric is more appropriate as a definition of the period during which menstruation slowly stops. The body goes through many hormonal changes in particular the lower level of oestrogen production. Three signs that are directly attributed to changes in oestrogen production are changes in menstrual cycles, hot flushes, perspiration, and vaginal changes.
In the same way the pain or inconveniences experienced by women at the time of their menopause are not due to some kind of "involutional melancholia". It is due to the drop of the level of hormone production. Hot flushes are described by the women as a sensation of heat in the face or moving through or across the upper half of the body. Sweating may follow and follow and often a feeling like suffocation. Chills frequently precede or follow. They vary in intensity, duration, and frequency.
When ovarian oestrogen production declines the pituitary gland send signals for the production of more oestrogen. One theory is that hot flushes may be the body’s attempt to respond. The sweating can be profuse and disturbed the life of some women who need to change many times their clothing or bedclothes. Some women wake up five to six times a night or more so that sleep may be seriously disturbed. Some women cry more easily. They feel irritable, depressed or anxious at times.
Again menopause should not be a time of fear for women, but a time of celebration. They are entering the guardian years. It is a time where their wisdom will flourish while their higher intuition will develop. It is a time of rewiring of our brains and hormones, to higher plans, and that age, their creativity and wisdom is at its peaks. As the children are leaving the nest, it is a time for fulfilling their own spiritual dreams, find and rest in their true essence.
For all the pains related to menstruation, medication is often advised. Hormone replacement therapy is often used during the menopause. Yoga as an alternative and self-help approach open to all women who wish to take charge of the change of their body, mind, and spirit in this very intimate moment of their life.
Yoga as a mean to relieve pain
Yogic practices are very effective to correct the malfunctioning of the reproductive organs. These practices strengthen and tone the reproductive organs' muscles and glands and balance the production of hormones in the body. Asanas are beneficial for those suffering from menstrual disorders but some are more potent than others are. The asanas should be practised before or after the period. But during the menstruation itself a complete, depending on temperament, a complete rest may be suitable or some restorative poses and gentle exercises with relaxation may be preferred.
Standing Postures
If you have a regular practice of yoga, try to include to your routine, these three poses before your period. Among standing postures, Trikonasana and its variations are recommended. "Tri" means three and Kona means angle. In these series along with along with Trikonasana, Pavritta trikonasana and utthita parvakonasana are favoured. Those postures massage the abdominal organs, and feed the spinal nerves with more blood. They increase of blood in the lower part of the body and renewal of the energy in the abdominal region. They affect positively reproductive organs. They help to improve the malfunctioning of the ovaries and set right displaced uterus.
Sitting Postures
Again daily, if you suffer from pain during your periods, include among the sitting postures, Bhadrasana (or bhadda konasana), Upavista konasana and Malasana (the garland posture) and Kurmasana (the tortoise posture) bring relief to the back muscles and tone the abdominal muscles. They relieve cramps, pain and heaviness in the lower part of the body. They regulate the menstrual flow as well. Supta Bhada konasana ease the spasms and burning sensations in the urinary system during menstruation.
Vajrasana stretches the whole body from the pelvis upward. Vajrasana tone the muscle of the upper part of the body. It also has a calming effect on the nervous system. Vajrasana combined with Supta Vajrasana has a powerful effect of the reproductive organ and the whole body. It stretches the back and abdomen relieving the pain and tension accumulated during period time and cure disorder of the ovary. From Vajrasana, the Yoga practitioner can practice the cat posture that got his name from the full arching and bending of the spine in a cat like manner. This posture is used in pre and postal exercise in the West. It makes the back more supple and has a positive effect on the abdominal region. It is useful to correct the position of a displaced uterus and prevent menstrual disorder.
From the Cat posture, the Yogini can move into the dog posture. From Vajrasana she can practice Ustrasana or the camel posture. Those two postures tone the back and strengthen reproductive organs. The stretching brings extra blood that nourishes the spines and eases all tension in this area during period time.
The twists
Include daily some twists to your sessions, and twist asanas such as Ardha Matsyaendrasana, the half-spinal twist posture and Pasasana give greater flexibility to the spine. They help to relieve backaches and tone the uterus reducing cramps that occur during the period.
Backward bending asanas
Strong back bending such as chakrasana (wheel pose) or Dhanurana (bow pose) have to be avoided during the periods, but before they can help fight and alleviate depression. Others such as cobra or the beginner locust have a gentle effect on the spine, thus relieving lower back pain. Those two postures are excellent for menstrual disorder as they are excellent for the reproductive organs and relieve backaches. They keep the spine supple and make the circulation active of blood in the spine. The abdominal and back muscles are strengthen and massaged.
Inverted asanas
During the menses the Yogini should not practice inverted asanas. It is advised to practice them before the period to bring a balance in the body and mind. The inverted asanas works on glands such as thyroid, pituitary glands, etc thus helping to regulate the productions of hormones in the body. They are highly advised before the periods but not during.
Sirsasana (headstand) and its variation have a beneficial effect on the Glands controlling the growth and well being of the body. It has also a potent effect on the production of hormones so essential to the good functioning of the ovarian cycle. Illnesses due to prolapsed or displaced uterus are cured and all the muscles of the abdomen are strengthened.
Sarvagansana (Shoulderstand) and its variations help to maintain the body and mind balance. They help to set right displaced uterus and alleviate pain in the uterus. They have a positive effect on the regulation of the menstrual flow in case of profuse blood discharge or leucorrhoea.
Yogic postures for menopausal women
All the postures (asanas) advised for painful menstruation have also a beneficial effect during menopause. The asanas (corpse, child posture, etc.) that have a soothing effect on the nervous system will be of great comfort for women who are going through their climacteric. For relieving emotional disorders such as irritation, anxiety, Vajrasana coupled with the child posture or the salaam posture is advised.
These asanas quieten the nerves and bring peace of mind to the yoga adept. The inverted postures will balance the production of hormones that is so important during the climacteric. They will also have a potent effect on the nervous system. For hot flushes, Halasana is said to be very effective. Yoga Nidra or relaxation will also have a positive effect on the nervous system releasing knot of tension in the subconscious mind of women.
Yoga whatever asanas, or relaxation will help women to face that time of their life where they goes through tremendous changes. Further they can also include some gentle pranayama and relaxation to their daily routine, thus toning and relaxing their body. These are time when women have to rest and restore, nurture and listen to their body, mind and connect with spirit.