Hormones and pelvic floor Health: how estrogen and progesterone influence the function of the pelvic floor

From puberty to pregnancy and beyond, women and people who have assigned (AFAB) women at birth, introduce their hormone fluctuations for years.

Two of those hormones: estrogen And progesteroneare indispensable for our reproductive health. Estrogen plays an important role in breast development, menstruation and pregnancy, while progesterone also supports menstruation and early stages of pregnancy.

But did you know that these hormones are also essential for our overall health of the pelvic floor? And when our estrogen and progesterone levels are falling, It endangers us For pelvic floor disorders? Given that most women and that AFAB will experience low estrogen and low progesterone symptoms at some point in their lives, it is worth exploring the connection between your hormones and your pelvic floor.

If you experience hormone -related pelvic floor disorders, don’t fear: there is help outside, with various treatment options available, including physiotherapy from pelvic floor.

How do low estrogen and low progesterone influence the pelvic floor?

Because our pelvic floor muscles are crucial for bladder, intestine and sexual function, they must be strong and elastic. But when estrogen and progesterone levels fall, which can occur during common hormonal fluctuation periods such as breastfeeding or breastfeeding, perimenopause, menopause and even treatments of cancer, our pelvic floor pays the price.

Reduced hormone levels can lead to it Weaker and less flexible pelvic floor muscleswhich can then lead to a number of low estrogen and low progesterone symptoms Such as urine incontinence, pelvic organ subsidence and sexual dysfunction. These low hormone levels can also cause increased Pelvic pain and discomfort.

What causes these hormonal imbalances?

Perimenopause

Perimenopause Is the natural transition period to the menopause, that is when your menstrual cycle ends. Although the timeline varies for each person, the perimenopause usually starts in your 40s (although the symptoms can start in the mid -thirty).

During the perimenopause, the estrogen and progesterone levels tend to fall, and this is interrupted by some menstrual cycles where you do not ovulate (when the ovaries do not release egg). Those Lowered estrogen levels cause a loss of lubrication and elasticity in vaginal tissues – as well as vaginal dryness. This can lead to painful sexual intercourse and urine incontinence.

Menopause

Menopause Marks the end of your menstrual cycle. Once you have gone for 12 consecutive months without a period, you are officially in the menopause. Your ovaries have stopped producing reproductive hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, and now, make fat cells The majority of the estrogen of your body.

There is also one Increased risk From the development of pelvic organ prolapse during menopause because of the weakened connective tissues in the pelvic floor.

Breastfeeding and breastfeeding

It is not only the natural aging process that can cause this low estrogen and low progesterone symptoms. Pregnancy and postpartum period can cause hormonal imbalances that influence the pelvic floor, especially if you produce breast milk.

Although the estrogen levels rise considerably during pregnancy, They then fall immediately After the birth, which makes an increase in prolactin possible (the hormone responsible for the production of breast milk). While your body continues to produce breast milk, your estrogen levels remain at the bottom. This can result in Genitourinary syndrome of lactationA condition in which people experience vaginal dryness and a weakened pelvic floor.

Although treatments are available, including lubricants, creams based on estrogen and pelvic physiotherapy, know that pelvic floor problems while producing breast milk is temporary. While you speak to your baby and the milk production is decreasing, things have to become normal again. But that is no reason to wait for an appointment with a physiotherapist of a pelvic floor. If you have uncomfortable, help is available even while you still produce breast milk.

Cancer treatments

Cancer treatments Such as chemotherapy and hormonal therapy can cause pelvic pelvic function because of their effects on estrogen levels. Hormonal therapy blocks estrogen, while chemotherapy can close the ovaries, causing the patient to be sent in the early menopause. These treatments can ultimately cause muscle weakness, scar tissue, nerve damage, tissue bakering and inflammation. This can lead to symptoms such as incontinence, pelvic pain, constipation and painful sex.

Radiation and surgery in the pelvic area also have the potential to cause pelvic floor disorders. If these treatments are combined with estrogen-suppressing therapies, Patients can experience vaginal wall collapse or stenosis (a narrowing or tightening of the vaginal channel).

Testosterone -therapy

It is also important to note that it is not only women who experience hormone -based pelvic floor problems. Transgender men Support for gender-confirming testosterone therapy experiences a high incidence of pelvic floor disorders, as well as a high performance of urinary tract symptoms, including incontinence and sexual dysfunction.

However, when it comes to testosterone therapy, keep in mind that it is all about balance: while too much testosterone can The cause of pelvic floor problems, too little (or the inability that the body can use the testosterone present) can also cause problems in the pelvic floor. Studies have shown with which people VulvodyniaAs well as symptoms of menopausal can benefit from both androgen (aka testosterone) and estrogen treatments.

Treatment options for pelvic floor problems caused by hormonal imbalances

Although it is important to discuss a treatment plan with your healthcare provider or pelvic floor therapist, there are some potential options here to reach hormone harmony.

• Diet and lifestyle changes: Eating a healthy, vegetable diet, along with reducing stress, getting enough sleep and moderate exercise can help increase your hormone levels.
• Hormone replacement therapy (HST): This is a common treatment for people who experience perimenopausal And postmenopausal symptoms. With HRT, patients take synthetic forms of estrogen and/or progesterone.
• Pelvic floor physiotherapy: Physiotherapy can help patients strengthen their pelvic floor muscles, weakened by reduced hormone levels. Via PT, patients can help their pelvic floor muscles to regain flexibility, as well as desensitizing tissues that have become painful due to low hormones. Physiotherapists can also advise patients on symptom -phase products such as vaginal lubricants or pessaria.

How can the physiotherapy of pelvic floor help?

As we have established, hormonal imbalances ensure that pelvic floor muscles weaken and lose their elasticity. This may make you more vulnerable to conditions such as bladder and intestinal incontinence, discomfort during sexual intercourse and pelvic organ. Although there are hormonal therapies available – and they have one positive impact On pelvic floor function – pelvic physiotherapy can also make a difference by helping you strengthen these exhausted muscles.

If you encounter pelvic floor problems, caused by low estrogen and/or low progesterone, you do not have to suffer in silence. Help is available for these treatable disorders, including plans for symptom management. Ready to feel yourself again? Book a visit With a pelvic floor expert.

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