Pulling Down the Moon

Abdominal Adhesions: National Massage Therapy Awareness Week

October 25, 2022

Abdominal Adhesions Are More Common than You'd Think...and Massage Can Help!

It’s National Massage Therapy Awareness Week and we thought we’d take a moment to share that massage for fertility, women’s health, dysmenorrhea and other “female issues” is more than simply a spa day or pampering.  What are abdominal adhesions?  Abdominal adhesions are fibrous bands that span two or more abdominal organs and/or the inner abdominal wall.  They can be a result of abdominal surgery (e.g. Cesarean delivery) as well as inflammatory processes (endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, diverticulitis, etc.).  Adhesions can be asymptomatic but can also be related to a range of symptoms including cramping, bowel movement irregularity including constipation/diarrhea due to the overgrowth of intestinal bacteria, and infertility. 


How do you know if you have abdominal adhesions?  Adhesions are not readily visible with common imaging methods and there is not a “lab test” to screen for them but if you’ve had a C-section or other abdominal surgery, have endometriosis or have a history of STDs it’s possible you have adhesions.   Currently, treatment for abdominal adhesions includes laparoscopic surgery for extreme/acute cases where organ obstruction is present as well as pharmacological intervention (treating pain, using fiber/stool softeners). 


Encouragingly, a 2019 review of clinical studies entitled
Effect of soft tissue mobilization techniques on adhesion-related pain and function in the abdomen:  A systematic review found “strong evidence for the benefits of STM on symptoms relating to acute post-surgical adhesions, preliminary moderate evidence for the benefits of STM on symptoms relating to chronic non-surgical related adhesions (fertility and SBO*) and moderate evidence for the benefits of STM on symptoms relating to chronic post-surgical adhesions.”


The bottom line:  At Pulling Down the Moon we recommend fertility massage as part of any holistic treatment plan.  Massage reduces perceived stress, lowers circulating stress hormones, increases blood and oxygen flow to the reproductive organs.  Specific massage sessions, including Mercier Therapy™ and the Cleanse the Body, Enhance the Blood and Open the Breath sessions of the FEM Protocol™ include Soft Tissue Mobilization of the pelvic organs. 


Stay tuned for more about How Massage Increases Blood Flow.  Read
more about Abdominal Adhesions here. 


*Small Bowel Obstruction


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February 18, 2025
Spring arrives next month, and with it, more cold days (perhaps even snow)! But March also brings the promise of new life. We love this time of year. The ground starts to smell fresh and ripe. Small green buds begin to swell from the earth reaching up, up, up. Birds chatter in the trees. The sun stays in the sky a little longer each day. After a long, cold winter of hibernation, spring restores nature’s beauty. Spring inspires us to restore ourselves, too and these self-care techniques will lead you to restoration of mind, body and spirit. Hydrate. Drink a glass or two of water first thing in the morning. Keeping yourself hydrated helps boost your mood, improves brain power and protects you against disease. Make a gratitude list. Spending just a few minutes a day writing down what you are grateful for can dramatically shift your day. The more gratitude you have, the more open to abundance you become. Breathe. Set aside a few minutes each day to practice breathing. There are so many benefits! Among them, diaphragmatic breathing alleviates stress, reduces pain, strengthens internal muscles and moves blood to organs and tissues. If you’re not sure how to get started, try our Breathe & Restore Workshop or schedule an Soothe the Senses: Calm the Nervous System Fertility Enhancing Massage™ to receive some hands-on breath work coaching. Stretch. Five to 10 minutes of stretching in the morning increases energy levels, enhances circulation, reduces injury and centers your mind. Even better is a regular yoga practice. Get started by downloading the Fully Fertile App today to give you a jump start! Our next Signature Yoga for Fertility Series begins on Monday, February 24th to reduce anxiety and stress by 20% or more in just six weeks. Eliminate something from your diet that isn’t serving you. I nstead of overhauling your entire diet, start by taking out one food that doesn’t nourish your body. Replace it with a different item that supports your desire for restoration. Learn even more by working with scheduling a nutrition consult ! We look forward to seeing you virtually or in-person at one of our centers to help you get started. Many wishes for a beautiful spring!
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