Learn to de-stress your vagina with the Reverse Kegel

Contrary to what many people think, Kegel exercises are not always indicated. When the muscles are very contracted, there are pain and other symptoms, so you must do the opposite exercises to relax them. At TuSaludIntima we teach you more about this condition known as pelvic hypertonia, its causes and solutions.

The extremes are also bad! If you are one of the women who sometimes has pain during penetration or if you are restarting your sexuality in the early postpartum period and you feel pain, here we teach you how to de-stress your vagina.

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and other tissues that form a sling across the pelvis responsible for holding the uterus, bladder, intestines, and other organs in place. The truth is, just like any other muscle in your body, the pelvic floor can become weak, injured, or overly contracted.

When weakened by pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, radiation treatments , surgery, or just aging, doctors generally recommend Kegel exercises. At TuSaludIntima we are constantly inviting women to do this type of training to keep their muscles toned and not experience the consequences of their weakening.

But today we come to talk about the opposite case, that health situation that occurs when that pelvic musculature has excessive tension, known in medical terms as Pelvic Floor Hypertonia.

What is hypertonus of the pelvic floor?

Pelvic hypertonus occurs when there is excess muscle tone and tension in the pelvic floor and the muscles that surround it (those of the transverse abdomen, lower back, and even the buttocks). The muscles become so tense that they affect the flexibility of the body, preventing or making urination, defecation and sexual intercourse difficult, causing severe pain.

The causes that cause hypertonia of the pelvic floor are varied and may have a physiological or psychological origin. Among the most common are hormonal changes, menopause, surgeries, traumatic injuries, scars, childbirth with an episiotomy (the incision between the vaginal opening and the anus), poor postural habits, practicing high-impact sports or heavy lifting. , obesity and performing Kegel exercises incorrectly. At a psychological level it is also caused by stress, anxiety and having lived through traumatic experiences.

The most common symptoms of pelvic hypertonia are:

• Difficulty and pain when urinating. The jet comes out incomplete with the feeling of not having finished or interrupted (it is not continuous).
• Sudden and uncontrollable urge to urinate and increased urinary frequency.
• Recurrent urinary tract infections, including candidiasis.
• Constipation.
• Difficulty defecating and/or pain on or immediately after defecation.
• Pain in or around the tailbone, lower back, pelvic area, or hips.
• Pain in the genitals: when inserting a tampon, a menstrual cup, sex toys or Chinese balls; and in some cases, even by the mere rubbing of underwear.
• Problems enjoying sexual intercourse, since pelvic floor hypertonus can cause vaginismus, dyspareunia, and vulvodynia.

What can you do if you have the symptoms?

The treatment of pelvic hypertonia will depend on each case and its causes. The gynecologist will be your ally in the search for a solution and will give you the best recommendations to address the situation, with the contribution of an interdisciplinary team also made up of sexologists and psychologists.

Among the most common treatments to relax this pelvic musculature are Reverse Kegel exercises. In the video below we share a tutorial from one of the founders of TuSaludIntima, Dr. Sofía Herrera (@tu_ginecologa) in which she teaches you to identify the muscles and perform the Reverse Kegels.

The goal of reverse Kegels is to relax your pelvic floor muscles . The idea is to concentrate to achieve something similar to the sensation of dropping them and to get that relief that we feel when we go to the bathroom to urinate or have a bowel movement.

Previously you should know how to consider these relevant aspects:

1. Find out in advance ! It is recommended that you know how ordinary Kegel exercises are performed correctly to know how to identify those muscles that you are exercising, due to the difficulty of not being able to visualize it easily (like when you see your triceps in the gym).
   
   
2. Learn diaphragmatic breathing : The diaphragm is positioned below our lungs. During inhalation the diaphragm pushes down on the abdomen causing it to protrude and bulge. The pelvic floor moves downward during the inhalation, producing a slight stretch or relaxation of those muscles, just the effect we're looking for.
   
   And during exhalation the pelvic floor muscles rise up and slightly shorten. Concentrate and practice that movement of your breathing without exerting yourself. That way, your pelvic floor muscles will be more oxygenated and less tense throughout the day.
   
   
3. Visualization : the work requires a lot of imagination and concentration, the most important thing is that you concentrate and visualize the technique.
   
   
4. Try performing Reverse Kegels while standing and then sitting . When standing and starting, you can use a mirror to check the changes and movements in your pelvic floor when you contract and relax.
   
   
5. Then while lying down, now visualize the pubic and coccyx bones and imagine that the pubic bone is trying to pull up towards the ceiling and the coccyx towards the floor by lengthening the pelvic floor muscles that are between those two points and making the space between them bigger.
   
   
6. Imagine your pelvic floor muscles lengthening as you attempt this exercise while simultaneously inhaling a deep diaphragmatic breath.
   
   
7. Concentrate the movement only on your pelvic floor.

Let's start practicing reverse Kegels, as Dr. Sofía Herrera tells you in the video:

• Slightly contract your pelvic floor, feeling that contraction.
• Now relax and release the tension.
• Imagine that your pelvis is relaxing and stretching.
• You take air and relax even the buttocks.
• Contract and relax.
• Feel the difference between tension and relaxation.
• Here you are not going to count time, you are not going to maintain the contraction as in traditional Kegels.

Another way to do Reverse Kegels is by sitting on giant exercise balls or Pilates balls. The idea is that you sit firmly on them, with your feet flat on the ground, concentrate, breathe in and out trying to relax that area. Very easy!

Biofeedback and its benefits

In these cases of requiring relaxation of the pelvic area, it is also advisable to follow up your training with Biofeedback or biofeedback , a technique that collects and analyzes information on certain biological functions to help control them, with which you can become aware of the state of permanent contraction and rigidity of your pelvic floor and thus be able to work consciously on the relaxation of those muscles in particular.

The #Zenzsual VagiYoga vaginal trainer has the biofeedback function by following the training from your mobile phone with its free application. This device has the ability to recognize the level of strength of your musculature and will guide you to carry out the Reverse Kegel exercise routine with the appropriate rhythm and duration for said level.

The key is perseverance and concentration when performing them!

If you manage to control this ability to consciously relax the pelvic floor muscles, you will be taking an important step towards recovering the functions of this musculature and freeing yourself from the pain caused by tension.

By following the medical advice, review this exercise 1 or 2 times a day , measure the progress of your exercises with the biofeedback of the VagiYoga vaginal trainer and the accompaniment of your partner (understanding that there is no possibility of having penetrative sex because of the pain it generates), you will be able to advance in your recovery.

At #TuSaludIntima we are dedicated to creating products for women's health care and sexual well-being and that is why we want to help you improve your health and sexuality, because our purpose is for you to learn to take care of your health.

Visit our TuSaludIntima online store to learn about the characteristics of VagiYoga and the other Zenzsual products, such as the intimate gel that can also help you in this stage of recovery, as well as the nutritional supplements that we have created to care for women's health in a preventive way.

Do not forget to follow us on our social networks, look for us as: @TuSaludIntima. There we keep sharing useful tips and join the #TeamZenzsual to share this information with your friends, leave us your doubts and comments.

FOUNTAIN:

• Dr. Klara Senior @doctoraklarasenior - Founder of Zenzsual
• Dr. Sofía Herrera @tu_ginecologa - Founder of Zenzsual
• tusaludintima.com
• medlineplus.gov
• intimia.com