Osteopathic treatment may help alleviate cramps or reduce the back pain associated with menstruation. Lower back pain during your period is typically caused by contractions in the uterus. If your uterus contracts too strongly, it can press on nearby blood vessels reducing oxygen supply to muscles. The pain occurs in the abdomen and radiates to the low back.
Treatment would increase blood circulation and release muscle tension in the area reducing the pain symptoms. Also, osteopathy is based on the principle that structure governs function. Treatment would focus on re-establishing proper structural integrity and relationship of the pelvic skeletal and visceral systems. The uterus is meant to sit centered in the pelvic bowl, in easy relation to its neighboring organs and structures. If from past injury, surgery or tension the position of the uterus has shifted, there may be a pull on the attachments to the pelvis and low back. The swelling, contractions, and inflammatory changes during menstruation may pull these structures out of alignment creating unnecessary back pain.
