How Your Pelvic Floor is Affected During Cold and Flu Season

When we think about colds and flu, we typically focus on obvious symptoms like coughing, sneezing, fever, and body aches. However, one less talked about area that can be affected during an illness is your pelvic floor. Surprising, right? Your pelvic floor muscles experience added strain during illness, particularly from coughing, sneezing, or constant sniffling. Here's how and why it happens, along with strategies to minimize the impact.

How a Cold or Flu Impacts Your Pelvic Floor

1. Increased Pressure from Coughing and Sneezing

One of the main ways your pelvic floor is affected during a cold or flu is through the repetitive pressure caused by coughing or sneezing. Every time you cough or sneeze, your abdominal muscles contract forcefully, sending a surge of pressure down to the pelvic floor. If these muscles are already weak or under strain (from childbirth, aging, or other factors), you may feel discomfort or even experience urinary leakage.

2. Straining from Congestion

Dealing with nasal congestion can make breathing difficult, leading to unintentional straining. When you're unable to breathe properly through your nose, you might hold your breath or strain more, especially when blowing your nose, which adds tension to your pelvic floor muscles.

3. Weakened Immune System and Muscle Fatigue

When you have the flu, your body is working hard to fight off infection, and your muscles (including your pelvic floor) may become fatigued. Weakened muscles due to dehydration, fatigue, and stress can make it harder for the pelvic floor to support your bladder, bowel, or uterus properly.

What You Can Do to Reduce Pelvic Floor Impact During Illness

1. Practice Proper Coughing Techniques

To protect your pelvic floor when coughing or sneezing, consider these techniques:

• Proper bracing: Engage your core/pelvic floor muscles before you cough, sneeze, or when blowing your nose to help distribute the pressure away from your pelvic floor.

• Cough into a pillow: Coughing into a pillow or soft surface helps reduce the intensity of your cough and minimizes strain on your pelvic muscles.

2. Pelvic Floor Exercises

Performing pelvic floor exercises strengthens these muscles, making it easier to manage pressure from coughing or sneezing. This can be so much more than just doing kegels! Focus on gentle, restorative exercises rather than intense workouts if you’re already experiencing discomfort.

3. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated keeps your muscles functioning optimally, so drinking plenty of fluids is essential during a cold or flu to maintain muscle efficiency. And don’t forget to add some electrolytes as well!

5. Rest and Relaxation

Rest is crucial for your pelvic floor, especially when you're sick. Prioritize rest, avoid activities that place additional strain on your pelvic muscles, and focus on gentle stretches and breathing exercises to reduce tension. 

6. Elevation

Kick your feet up (literally)! Place a pillow under your hips and either put your legs up against the wall or over a chair/bed. This decreases the impact of gravity on your pelvic floor muscles and gives them a bit of a much needed break!

Things a Pelvic Floor PT Can Do To Improve Your Cold/Flu Symptoms

Coughing and post-nasal drip can increase pressure on your pelvic floor. Working with a therapist can help you manage these symptoms by making your coughs more productive and reducing the need for constant throat clearing, which can help relieve pressure on your pelvic floor.

1. Percussion

Percussion involves tapping on your chest and back to help loosen mucus in your lungs, making it easier to cough it out. By using percussion, you can reduce the frequency and intensity of coughing, which directly decreases the strain placed on your pelvic floor.

2. Postural Drainage

Postural drainage is a technique that uses gravity to help drain mucus from your lungs. By positioning your body in certain ways, you encourage mucus to flow out of your lungs more easily, reducing the need for intense coughing. This helps decrease abdominal and pelvic pressure, making it easier on your pelvic floor. Your physical therapist can help determine what posture can be best to help get all of the gunk out so you can start feeling better quicker!

3. Manual Therapy

After all of the straining, your muscles might start to feel tight and achy. Your PT can perform soft tissue techniques to help decrease muscle tension and discomfort.

4. Exercise Modifications

Want to move your body, but not sure what’s safe to do while you’re feeling cruddy? Working with your PT can help you modify what exercises to do so that you can still make progress towards your goals even if you aren’t feeling 100%.

Understanding the connection between your cold or flu symptoms and pelvic floor health is essential to preventing discomfort or complications. If you notice persistent pelvic floor discomfort, pain, or increased leakage during or after a cold or flu, it may be worth consulting with a pelvic floor physical therapist. We can provide personalized exercises or treatments to help you strengthen and heal your pelvic floor muscles. Taking care of your body holistically ensures a smoother recovery when illness strikes!