update and question

Body: 

Hi,
I have been doing much better. My surgery was almost three months ago (surgery to my leg, unrelated to pelvic area)...After the surgery I struggled, and I had a set- back; never as bad as it used to be...I am back with exercises, mindful about my diet, posture, supplements (mostly probiotics)...
At night and in the morning I am usually symptom free, then I have bm, usually quite easy. After few hours the pressure builds up, I imagine that this is due to the stool pressing. I feel it very deep inside my rectum. It is sometimes associated with burning or/and itching. I read somewhere that it may be related to something called "internal anal sphincter spasm"...at least it feels like this, it is as if it was clenching there...It is sometimes difficult to ignore (before I would consider it as an urge to have bm, and I would stain, but not anymore)...
I am trying to find any exercises that would relax this area...
It also clenches more if I am stressed out about something, which happens quite often (still job insecurity, financing insecurity + divorce process + problem in my family of origins)...

I would appreciate any input...
I guess I need to be more patient...as I have had a real improvement, comparing with the time I joined...

Thank you,
Ikam

Forum:

I read on Wiki that sphincter spasm can be caused by cramp of the pubococcygeus or levator ani muscles. Therefore exercises which exercise the elevator ani would be a possible way to go. I’m sure that Christine would have included some of these (safe for prolapse) in her yoga videos.

If it is not exactly internal sphincter spasm, it could be as in my case and don’t forget that I am more fixated on uterine prolapse, but I do have much milder prolapse in the other celes, but frequently the uterus tends to press on the bowel and the anal sphincter closes tight so that nothing is allowed to pass down the anal canal. All systems halt so to speak and on initial observation this appears to occur after a BM. I feel a mild tightening on the top of my stomach and just a vague discomfort in my rectum with the feeling of still wanting to go.

Now to be able to gradually release wind gently and without strain throughout the day is to my mind a necessary part of the natural process of defecation. The prolapse interferes with this, in my case as I have described. Therefore, I find it necessary to relax the spinchter consciously throughout the day i.e. taking time out to do this. I find great help in this by doing the cat and cow yoga exercises and other exercises I have mentioned over the years on this forum. These specifically target the vagina/anal area. I also find sitting with legs wide also helps to relax the whole area. And the yoga warrior poses are comforting.

This is getting TMI so close your eyes, but the continuance of the tight sphincter throughout the day means an eventual noisy expulsion and so cannot be released when in company. So time out is highly important initially until you can make that relaxation more a regular state of being. Life of course has a habit of interfering with this but the more you can consciously relax the spinchter and of course that lower stomach, the better the shape your rectum will be in.

I realise that this may not be what is happening with you. I thought with an advanced rectocele, the rectocele in itself may possibly have this effect on you rather than some fissure etc (hopefully). Just hypothetical but hoped that by possibly broadening the information exchange you may have further food for thought.

cheers, Fab

Dear Fab, it is very helpful, thank you! I have noticed this inability to pass wind myself. When I do exercises, mostly First Wheel Yoga, something releases there and it feels much better...
I have stopped responding to this tension/fullness as if I need to go to toilet, this really helps. I used to strain before, as it was so misleading...
Slowly, I am getting better...

I should have mentioned that the sitting with legs wide apart means you are not sitting on your sit bones but more forward on your pelvic stirrups and soft vaginal tissue. This you will find it is more conducive to the lessening of the play of wind and or stool pressure. It has the effect of taking the pressure off the sphincter so that it can relax because the weight of the organs is no longer centred on a downward push but spread wide horizontally when seated this way. If you sit on your sit bones even if in WWposture, the pressure on the sphincter remains and so the spasm in the rectum can still prove troublesome.

Yeah, will I ever let up? It’s usually young twelve year old boys who like to talk about these things. So for a little while we can be young again.

Cheers, Fab