I know. You read the title of the post, scoffed a bit, and internally labeled me crazy. And maybe I am, but hear me out!
I have a heating pad. I've had several over the years. I have one of those fancy ones that wraps all the way around you. I have been heating pads during my period since I was 13 or 14. Back then it seemed to help. I'd curl up in a fetal position to ride out the crimson tide. Until the pain started worsening and lasting more than just the first day. Then I started needing the heating pad along with Midol every month. Then I needed it for the first two days of my period, then the first three days, until I needed it every day of my period (which had become heavier and lasted longer than before).
Eventually, about a year and a half ago, I was using it throughout the month in addition to using it on my period. The pain was intense all the time. Before long, I felt attached to my heating pad. I started carrying it around with me wherever I went, as vital as my cell phone.
Then one day, I was surfing the 'net for non-endo things, and I came across a website (which unfortunately I can't find again) that had a single sentence in it that changed everything I thought I ever knew about heating pads.
The sentence basically said that using heating pads isn't for long-term relief because the heat relaxes your muscles, but then once the heat is removed, your muscles can cramp right back up again and spasm, which actually makes the pain worse. Thus, the unfortunate heating pad cycle.
I started thinking about it, and researching it, and discovered that it was actually true. It made perfect sense. I couldn't count the number of times I'd taken the heating pad off to get up to use the bathroom or make tea, and the pain and spasms would get much much worse. But at the time, I just said I still needed the heating pad. Similarly, the same thing would happen if I took a hot shower to ease the pain - once I got out of the shower, the pain would immediately return. And if you're like a lot of endo ladies out there, you have diarrhea with your pain and cramps to make sure your entire week is miserable. Allowing those muscle spasms and muscle contractions to come back could make the diarrhea worse.
The month after reading that sentence and researching it, my insane self decided to try an experiment (you're welcome, ladies....). I decided not to use my heating pad at all during my period if I could help it. I figured the pain was already unbearable, so if it got worse, it would still be unbearable. I also hoped beyond hope that I could survive the first day on Midol alone.
Eventually, about a year and a half ago, I was using it throughout the month in addition to using it on my period. The pain was intense all the time. Before long, I felt attached to my heating pad. I started carrying it around with me wherever I went, as vital as my cell phone.
Then one day, I was surfing the 'net for non-endo things, and I came across a website (which unfortunately I can't find again) that had a single sentence in it that changed everything I thought I ever knew about heating pads.
The sentence basically said that using heating pads isn't for long-term relief because the heat relaxes your muscles, but then once the heat is removed, your muscles can cramp right back up again and spasm, which actually makes the pain worse. Thus, the unfortunate heating pad cycle.
I started thinking about it, and researching it, and discovered that it was actually true. It made perfect sense. I couldn't count the number of times I'd taken the heating pad off to get up to use the bathroom or make tea, and the pain and spasms would get much much worse. But at the time, I just said I still needed the heating pad. Similarly, the same thing would happen if I took a hot shower to ease the pain - once I got out of the shower, the pain would immediately return. And if you're like a lot of endo ladies out there, you have diarrhea with your pain and cramps to make sure your entire week is miserable. Allowing those muscle spasms and muscle contractions to come back could make the diarrhea worse.
The month after reading that sentence and researching it, my insane self decided to try an experiment (you're welcome, ladies....). I decided not to use my heating pad at all during my period if I could help it. I figured the pain was already unbearable, so if it got worse, it would still be unbearable. I also hoped beyond hope that I could survive the first day on Midol alone.
So what do I do instead of relying on my trusty heating pad?
Before just deciding to go cold turkey, I decided I needed to look for alternative pain relief solutions. I discovered that not only can heating pads make things worse, but curling up in that fetal position is also bad! You know the one....
So, instead of curling up in pain with a heating pad when the pain hits, try laying flat on your back (couch, floor, bed, etc.). Put your arms at your sides or stretch them out above your head and take long, deep breaths from your stomach. Make sure your exhales are longer than your inhales. Stay like this until that wave of pain has subsided, or at least 5 - 10 minutes. Resist the urge to roll onto your side and start curling up. Don't bend your knees, either. The idea is to stretch your pelvic muscles gently to ease the pain.
For me, I was really truly terrible at this for the first month or two. My boyfriend (the sweetheart he is) stayed with me and forced me to stay stretched out. Even if I bent my knees he would make me stretch back out right away. He would hold my hand until the pain subsided, and let me squeeze as hard as a I needed to. I was even yelling and screaming and writhing in pain (which he later told me sounded like I was in labor).
I highly recommend having a loved one help you with this at first. When you're in that much pain, it's hard to remember to do anything or think about anything other than the fact that you either want the pain to go away or you want to die. Let me tell you....staying stretched out instead of curling up really, really helped me. Even though it was difficult to do and very painful at first, it was obvious that it was helping more than my heating pad.
Then, once you're between the worst segments of pain, follow along with these YouTube videos. Allannah runs YogaYin in Australia and she apparently specializes in yoga for endo/women. She even has a blog, which I've also posted under my Resources & Links tab. I've gotta tell you, she's pretty amazing.
When I first found her videos, I almost cried with relief. Do the best you can. I recommend pushing yourself to complete it, even if you aren't able to look like she does. But don't push TOO hard. Remember that you are just starting.
Part 1 is below:
So, instead of curling up in pain with a heating pad when the pain hits, try laying flat on your back (couch, floor, bed, etc.). Put your arms at your sides or stretch them out above your head and take long, deep breaths from your stomach. Make sure your exhales are longer than your inhales. Stay like this until that wave of pain has subsided, or at least 5 - 10 minutes. Resist the urge to roll onto your side and start curling up. Don't bend your knees, either. The idea is to stretch your pelvic muscles gently to ease the pain.
For me, I was really truly terrible at this for the first month or two. My boyfriend (the sweetheart he is) stayed with me and forced me to stay stretched out. Even if I bent my knees he would make me stretch back out right away. He would hold my hand until the pain subsided, and let me squeeze as hard as a I needed to. I was even yelling and screaming and writhing in pain (which he later told me sounded like I was in labor).
I highly recommend having a loved one help you with this at first. When you're in that much pain, it's hard to remember to do anything or think about anything other than the fact that you either want the pain to go away or you want to die. Let me tell you....staying stretched out instead of curling up really, really helped me. Even though it was difficult to do and very painful at first, it was obvious that it was helping more than my heating pad.
Then, once you're between the worst segments of pain, follow along with these YouTube videos. Allannah runs YogaYin in Australia and she apparently specializes in yoga for endo/women. She even has a blog, which I've also posted under my Resources & Links tab. I've gotta tell you, she's pretty amazing.
When I first found her videos, I almost cried with relief. Do the best you can. I recommend pushing yourself to complete it, even if you aren't able to look like she does. But don't push TOO hard. Remember that you are just starting.
Part 1 is below:
The first time I tried these videos, I was on my period (day 1) and I could BARELY manage them. I had almost no flexibility. And the minor things I was able to do left me yelling in agony. But once I finished, I felt a lot better. My cramps had subsided. In fact, it helped so much, that once I got up and the pain returned, I sat right back down and went through it again. It really helped the second time.
Now this video (along with a few others I will be posting soonish) has become a staple for the week of my period. I even have it memorized and I do part 1 a few times a day during my period. I also try to do these videos once a day even when I'm not on my period. I 100% believe the stretching/exercise (along with following the endo diet), has helped break up some of the lesions I have.
Part 2 is also great! Just make sure you listen to the video carefully, because the inversions are not to be done while on your period.
Now this video (along with a few others I will be posting soonish) has become a staple for the week of my period. I even have it memorized and I do part 1 a few times a day during my period. I also try to do these videos once a day even when I'm not on my period. I 100% believe the stretching/exercise (along with following the endo diet), has helped break up some of the lesions I have.
Part 2 is also great! Just make sure you listen to the video carefully, because the inversions are not to be done while on your period.
For now, that's all I have for you! I hope you get some relief and I hope you try (at least once) going heating-pad-less! If you have any questions or want to tell me about your experience, leave a comment below or email me using the Contact tab above!
RSS Feed