YOGA FOR UTERUS PROLAPSE

The uterus (womb) is normally held in place by a hammock of muscles and ligaments.

The uterus, or womb, is said to be prolapsed when it has moved downward from its normal position. This can happen when the tissues that normally support the uterus - the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments - become stretched and weak. The uterus drops down the vagina closer to the vaginal opening, occasionally even protruding through it. The bladder and bowel can also drop down.

This condition is very common, and while it may not necessarily cause symptoms, a prolapsed uterus (also called uterine prolapse) can affect a woman's physical and sexual activity as well as her quality of life.

Causes of prolapsed uterus:

·        Childbirth, which is probably the single biggest risk factor for developing a uterine prolapse. This risk is increased if the baby was large;

·        Deterioration of muscles, that occurs with age;

·        Increased pressure within the abdomen, which often occurs with constipation, chronic cough and frequent heavy lifting. The risk is increased by conditions such as overweight and obesity;

·        An inherited tendency to weakness in the ligaments and other connective tissues.

Symptoms of prolapsed uterus:

·        The most common symptom of uterine prolapse is the awareness of ‘heaviness in the vagina  and a sensation of 'something coming down'. Sometimes women can feel a distinct lump or  bulge in her vagina or even have tissue protruding through the vaginal opening. There is often  associated backache;

·        These symptoms usually improve when lying down and are less noticeable in the morning,  getting worse during the course of the day or after exertion;

·        Uterine prolapse may also cause urinary problems such as difficulty passing urine or  emptying the bladder completely, problems holding urine or frequent urinary tract infections. It  might also cause discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse. Occasionally, it can also  interfere with bowel movements.

As a preventive measure for healing:

·        If one wants to prevent from this kind of complication throughout their life, and other similar complication like weak bladder control or umbilical hernia, then one must practice floor exercise everyday esp. related to toning the abdominal muscles and which in turn takes care of the organs;

·        Keep your weight in the normal range;

·        Practice pelvic floor exercises;

·        Avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements;

·        Avoid heavy lifting; and

·        If you have a lung problem then use your preventive and treatment medicines to limit coughing.

As a therapeutic approach:

·        If the condition is worse then one shouldn’t stretch their body backward rather perform inversions with the support of wall and later on certain crunches carefully under guidance.

Sahaj viparitakarni:

·        Lie down on your back and go closer to the wall till you are comfortably placed.

·        Raise your legs and place it on wall with heels on it.

·        Keep your legs straight

·       Now practice ujjayi breathing, with every inhalation gently let the stomach come up and exhalation let it go down but in a ratio of 1:2 of inhale and exhale and in a min 4 to 6 breaths.

·    While exhaling slowly pull your stomach in and upwards by contracting the anus muscles.

·        Practice 100 breaths.

·        This practice involves moolabandha.

Setubandh asana:

•     lie down on back and bend you legs.
•     Arms beside you legs and touching your ankle.
•    While inhaling gently raise you low back and start contracting your anus and low back muscles and maintain the posture till you exhale.
•     Inhale while exhaling release the pose.
•     Repeat it 4 to 5 times
•     Practice three times a day before food.

Ek pada uttanaasana:

·        Lie on your back with your legs close to each other and straight;

·        Hands beside your legs relaxed

·   While inhaling raise your left leg just parallel to the floor and exhaling hold the posture and start pulling your stomach in and up wards while contracting anus.

·        Maintain till you finish exhaling slowly place your left leg on floor while inhaling.

·        Repeat the same with the other leg too.

·        Repeat 5 times each leg.

Ardh Naukasana or Poorna Naukasana

·        Lie down on back with legs straight.

·     While inhaling slowly raise one leg up to 45 degrees angle and while exhaling raise your head and shoulders up and your hands reaching up to the knees or above while maintaining it.

·      While exhaling slowly contract your stomach muscles and lock your anus muscles too.

·        Maintain the pose till you exhale then release the pose  inhale while exhaling .

·        Repeat 5 times each leg but make sure your neck is not strained.

Lying on back Natraja pose:

·        Lie down on back with legs straight.

·        Keep your arms sideways with palm on floor

·        Inhaling raise your left leg up and hold it with right hand the left big toe

·        Exhaling gently bring it towards right side up to shoulder level.

·        Hold it for 20 secs and repeat the same with the other side.

·        Repeat three times each side.

·        One can practice this with the help of props with both their legs locked either under the sofa or chair so that legs are straight and doesn't move.

·        You can ask someone else to help you out in s stretching.

·        All the above has to be practiced three times a day for quicker results.

·        Once you feel better then you can start with more advanced ones to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles.Senior citizens can practice these asanas easily esp with the support of wall and Ardhnaukasana and other asanas mentioned here. Some of them have weaker bladder control, it would be effective in those cases too. But practice sincerely and religiously twice a day atleast.

    If a person suffers from uterus prolapse or hernia problems then they should first follow the simple one showed here the legs against the wall and practice right breathing and Moolabandh techniques everyday 100 Moolabandha then go for Setubandh asana, one leg lift then Natrajasana then for Naukasana as all these postures shouldn't be done mechanically but with full awareness of right breathing and controlling the exhalation and locking the energies at right place so that the problem is corrected. 
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