# Muscle Spasms after bowel movement



## DomCobb (Jan 28, 2017)

Where do I begin? I am 31 years old and have been living in chronic pain that stems from hip muscle imbalances and pelvic floor issues for nearly 10 years. The reason why I am on this forum is because the spasms that caused the pain occur directly after I have a bowel movement.

I first started getting tightness in my right piriformis (right hip muscle) nearly ten years ago and I would then notice that every time I had a bowel movement this muscle would tense up as a reflex. When I was younger I used to heavily strain to have a bowel movement and I was told I had IBS, mostly with constipation issues. But lately since I have changed my diet drastically I have for the most part avoided constipation in the past few years, yet this reflex still happens every time I used the toilet. Doctors have no clue and most have never even heard of this kind of reflex. PT's and myofascial specialists have suggested pelvic floor muscle imbalances and/or myofascial restrictions surrounding the muscles that are responsible for bowel movements.

Over time these muscles have been tensing up and in the process rotating my hips and changing the way I walk. This tension reflex went up to my shoulders and now nearly my neck and still happens when I have a bowel movement and now my whole body seems to be completely rotated in some places and it's a lot of pain everywhere.

As of now, every time I use the bathroom for a bowel movement, a few minutes after I've released, I get tightness in my shoulders and wrist and now those are in pain all the time. I am not sure what kind of problem this could be. Perhaps myofascial, nerve, related to IBS? Pelvic floor?

I also have constant irritation and swelling around my perineal area.

Now I am not sure if this is an IBS related reflex but it is definitely bowel movement related which led me to this forum. Has anyone out there ever seen or heard of anything like this?

Thank you


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2017)

You are not alone. I have had this problem for about 30 years. I didn't know what it was but over the years Massage and Chiropractic treatment on my lower back and hips have helped. My one hip can sit as low as 1.5 inches to the other depending on how bad it is. After a BM my lower back (tail bone region) will spasm for hours sometimes. I also get nerve pain in my left shoulder and arm with tingling and numbness that subsides as the episode subsides. Heat seems to help in the moment.

It is only recently that I linked the two and the only relief I have found is with a combination of massage and Chiropractic adjustments weekly. Pain killers do not help me at all. It was also affecting my left knee which is the side that my hip tends to droop. My husband bought me a small hand held massager and I found by massaging that hip bone and the muscle on the side of my leg down to my knee has finally had some effect on the knee pain. My RMT now focuses on that area too.

If you look at this chart (I first noticed hanging on my Chiro's wall) https://organicparenthub.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/spinal-nerve-chart.gif you will see that the lowest part of the spine has nerves that link right to the body parts we have the most problems with.

My spine is curved due to having this issue since I was a child and having it go untreated. I also have old fractures on the Sacrum and deformities in the Coccyx. We believe this is all due to having C-IBS since I was a child and straining so badly.

My Chiro does not practice the old "crack it into place" method of care. Thank God as this did more damage than helped when I was doing that. He works on nerve releasing and gentle adjustments. It happens over a long period of time but I am able to walk now without a limp. I have fewer episodes of pinched nerves and bounce back faster after a BM that is violent enough to effect the lower part of my spine.

I hope this helps


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