Muscle spasms after bowel movement

[Cade]

Is there any way to manage this so it doesn't happen/happens less? I started having symptoms five months ago but only recently began having this one.

[Violet M]

Some people sit in a hot tub of water to calm muscles down after a BM. Or you could try alternating hot/cold water as described in the following thread: http://www.pudendalhope.info/forum/view ... =25&t=5267

Some people use valium suppositories or insert valium tablets to calm down muscle spasms.

You could also consider trigger point injections to calm down pelvic floor muscles and if that helps you could try Botox injections. They can last several months.

Violet

[Cade]

Some people sit in a hot tub of water to calm muscles down after a BM. Or you could try alternating hot/cold water as described in the following thread: http://www.pudendalhope.info/forum/view ... =25&t=5267

Some people use valium suppositories or insert valium tablets to calm down muscle spasms.

You could also consider trigger point injections to calm down pelvic floor muscles and if that helps you could try Botox injections. They can last several months.

Violet

I tried the hot bath the other night, unfortunately it worked like a charm but it made my heart rate/blood pressure skyrocket and it took almost 2 days to calm down, was very scary and my already bad anxiety much worse. I don't want to go through that again.

Should I be trying to spread out the frequency of the BM's? Considering the pain, I can't imagine those spasms are good for my pelvic floor. Since I have to go every day am I subjecting my muscles to greater damage?

Thank you so much for your help by the way, you've been wonderful.

Edit: Now I'm having muscle spasms (a bit smaller) when I urinate. I never had these symptoms until recently. Does that mean it's getting worse/my pelvic floor is becoming further damaged?

[Ray P.]

What worked for me is taking Senna ( stool softener) and flaxseeds, ground and whole. I also drink a lot of water and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.

[Violet M]

Cade, if you try the hot bath without getting completely in the bathtub maybe you would not get the other systemic symptoms. If you do it the way I described in that thread I listed several posts back, you are sitting on a kid's pool ring in a shallow plastic tub of water that is up on a crate in the bathtub -- so only your saddle area is submerged.

Definitely if your stools aren't soft (consistency of applesauce) and if you are straining at all that could contribute to the problem so Ray's suggestion is a good one. I use magnesium citrate tablets on a regular basis to keep stool soft.

If you think stress/anxiety might be contributing to your problem you might want to do a search in the search bar in the upper right on the mindbody approach as described previously by Ezer on this forum.

Violet

[malvasio]

I was used to take this : Fybogel Hi-Fibre Orange. To relive spasm you can use also ice hot gel (pack) in the hot version. Another thing that I used is the application of a nitroglycerin cream for fissure or a similar product used against fissure (it should relive the muscular spasm). Anyway everybody has to find the best solution for himself.

I've also tried amytriptiline cream (internal and external application, as I had rectal symptoms) but for me was not the best solution.

[Cade]

My stool is already soft but I still have to push to get it out, what little pushing I do triggers the spasm afterward.

I will look into your all's suggestions, thanks.

I suppose I should say that the spasm itself isn't what is painful (well, it kind of is, but it only lasts a few seconds), what's worst is the 11+ hour flair up I get about an hour after having one.

[Violet M]

Nitroglycerin ointment on the anal area helps some people. I haven't tried it myself. For penis sensitivity you could try premjact spray -- basically lidocaine spray.

Violet

[Cade]

Thought I'd share something. Recently I've been heating a wet wash cloth, putting it in a plastic bag and putting it against my perineum and this actually eases the irritation by quite a bit. I've found that if I put it on in the hour after I have a spasm but before the flare up starts, the flare up either won't happen or won't be as bad. It's uncomfortable having this thing between my legs all day, though. Maybe there's a similar better option.

[Joe house]

I have the same problem because I have pelvic floor dysfunction and when I started getting internal therapy for it this helped this problem a great deal. the other thing that helped was eating a lot of fiber and taking fiber you mix with water so I had to do little pushing. It did not happen every time but when it did, tylenol worked to lessen the pain but it would take a couple of hours to work and I had to take it easy too.