Sphincter muscle/nerve damage

Submitted by flowerlilly on May 15, 2010 - 2:27am
Body: 

My situation is differnt than most as I had gotten my prolapse after getting a colonic :( In addtion to the prolapse I also sustained damage to the anal sphincters. It feels as if there has been both nerve and muscualr damage. I have been trying to find info online about if there are any ways to heal this naturally but no such luck. Im wondering if anyone has this problem as well due to child birth and if they were able to heal from this. My injury happened about 4 months ago. I have been devasated over this and trying so hard to cope. There has to be some natural way to heal this? I realize the sphincter is a smooth muscle and Im not sure how to regenerate this type of muscle using natrual methods.

kiki

May 15, 2010 - 4:10am

Hi flowerlily,
i'm sure you will get more info on damage, but my initial thought is that 4 months is early days with a PoP. hang in there. post childbirth a lot of people experience dramatic change for about 2 years, and then continued improvements. i'm 3.5 years on and still getting better. so give it time.

accupuncture can be great for nerves--is that something you've ever tried or would consider for this?

also what has happened with your other health issues, as i know when you posted you were incredibly ill? our bodies need to be strong to heal, as we need nourishing to repair ourselves. how have you been doing?
have you tried the DVD? the exercises strengthen the whole body, which will help the organs not only to reposition themselves but your body to regain its strength.

what is your diet like? inflammation can inhibit healing. have you looked at posts about anti inflammatory diet? you may find some help there.

just thoughts. i'm sure more will come from others!

Kiki

flowerlilly

May 15, 2010 - 8:57pm

Dear Kiki,
Thank you for the advice. I do have Christine's DVD and had done the exercise but not consitently because Im also struggling with chronic fatigue. I definitely agree that my illness has been a factor in my healing process but I also noticed that I became weaker after the damage from the colonic. I never was pregnant though. My problem came from getting a colonic incorrectly. I aplogzie for the confusion, I meant to ask if anyone who gave childbirth and sutained injuries if they had been able to heal without surgery. Kiki did you have injury to your sphincter as well? Nobody has ever heard of getting an anal sphincter injury from a colonic. Not the hospital or the doctors or the physica therapist :(

Im certain I have inflammation. After the colonic I had developed allergies to wheat and gluten and have trouble digesting food. Feels like my small bowel is partially blocked. Procrastinating on seeing a doctor because they scare me so much and I have been hurt by many in the past.

I eat brown rice cooked spinach. I dont know what else to eat really. Any suggestions? I have to eat soft foods.

I've tried acupuncture for the prolapse but cant afford to go consistently. I wasnt able to find anyone who knew what to do with the nerve damage to the sphincter.

Thanks so much for your help,
Love,
flowerlilly

aza

May 16, 2010 - 2:17pm

Just want to chime in on your comment about procrastinating on seeing a doctor because you have been hurt by them in the past. Flowerlily, it is obvious you are really struggling and have a lot going on, but if you feel like going to a specialist of some sort might help you get some information and clarity, then do it. You, and only you, are responsible for your own healing. You are a grown woman and you are perfectly capable of taking control of any interaction with a doctor and making sure nothing happens that you are uncomfortable with or you feel may cause you further harm. Take a friend / family member with you for support if you think that may help. While you are certainly experiencing many things in you body right now that seem to be out of your control, the dynamic you have with a care-provider IS very much in your control, and the far reaching implications of stepping up to the plate in this area might be very positive for you. Put on those big girl panties and take ahold of the reins of your healing ;)

mom30

May 16, 2010 - 9:55pm

I had some serious problems, constipation, diarrhea(pasty stuck disgusting), super tired all of the time, tons of my hair fell out, lost weight, headaches. Went to lots of different doctors and finally did a food diary and weeded out dairy first then all gluten. I got lots of improvement from the gluten free diet but it took a long time (months!), I kept dairy out too for a while. I also tried lots of different probiotics. Btw, I had a tear that tore into my sphincter muscle after childbirth. I'm not sure if the stress of the prolapses helped me become intolerant to gluten or if not being able to poop normally (not being able to get it all out) did it. Either way, I just can't do it anymore. I think no gluten and strong probiotics(UDO's brand) help everything out, I also take a multivitamin too. I've tried lots of different fiber powders, but I really don't like having to go too many times during the day. I hope some of this helps.

louiseds

May 17, 2010 - 3:19am

Hi Flowerlily

I really do agree with Aza. You have been circling around your need to get your different health issues resolved medically, but I can see you are fearful of going to another doctor. It does worry me a bit that you might be making some asumptions about what has caused these problems. There are medicos out there who really do want to help people with difficult to diagnose conditions to get them sorted out and get back on the path to health.

We are not doctors here, and I can only encourage you, like Aza has, to be mature about it, feel the fear and do it anyway. Yes, take a trusted friend with you, into the examination so you don't feel outnumbered. The other advantage is that another person will be able to listen carefully to what the doctor says, and help you to ask all the right questions, because she will not have her knickers around her ankles and she won't be all stressed out like you might be. You will come out with more quality information.

Get written copies of the results of all the tests you have already had and keep them in your filing cabinet for future reference, and to take to the next doctor. It is your body. You are entitled to know the results of all the tests you have had, and they may be of interest to your next doctor, even if you don't understand the implications of the numbers. No point in putting yourself through more tests if they are not necessary.

Your body. Your healing.

Louise

flowerlilly

May 19, 2010 - 3:35am

Dear Mom,
Thank you for sharing what helped you. Im sorry about the gluten allergy. What type of food do you eat to avoid gluten? Is brown rice ok?I do think that Were you able to heal from the torn sphincter? Did you have surgery?

Dear Aza and Loouise,

I really appreciate your advice about going to the doctors. I have been to tons and tons in the past and they have only darn harm to my other condtions. I became as sick as I am by following their advice and put on medications that harmed me tremendously.. I have valid reason to be fearful of doctors. My entire family is fearful of doctrers after what my mother went through. She had severe complications from surgery which led her to be hospiatlized for 5 months. I have seen what conventional medicine did for her and me and I cannot get myself to go. For my current conditoin, I had gone to the ER after the injury and had a rectal exam that made the prolapse condition so much worse. I regret going very much. I cannot handle any invasive testing and procedures or examinations and basically all they can offer me are meds or surgery . I prefer to use natural remedies like Maya Massage, phsycial therapy, acuputncture, and of course CHristine's DVD :) I have vulva vestibulitis prior to the prolapse and the obgyns examinations have been so incredible painful and traumatic for me. I hope you understand why I elect searching for alternative methods. But I do apprecaite your concern and your care for me. As a last resort I would go to the doctors but I'd like to see how much I can heal first utilziing natural methods.

Love,
flowerlilly

aza

May 19, 2010 - 5:37pm

Hi flowerlily,
I can totally understand where you are coming from. It sounds like you are very clear on what you do not want, what has not worked, what has caused pain, etc. Great, this is farther than many people get :) Now sounds like a great time for you to work towards what is going to help you heal rather than remaining in the problems of past treatment (or lack thereof) which must take so much valuable energy! I hope you are finding some momentum towards recovery.