I’ve had a summer cold. About 2 times a year, I lose my voice from straining to talk and irritate the vocal cords and muscles in the throat. I take it as a sign to stop talking so dang much and sit back and actively listen. Listen to not only those around me, but myself. My body and what it needs. Have ya been there?! A cold, sneezing, increased coughing, yelling at kids more than usual, ha I get it!

Did you know that your throat is directly connected to your pelvic floor? The fascia and muscles extend from the base of the skull along your spine to your pelvis. Tighten your jaw or make an “eeeee” sound, how does that feel in the vagina and rectum? Maybe tight and restricted? And if chakras are your thing, think throat chakra to sacral/root chakras and the energy that travels between the two. 

Coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, straining to talk louder all have big pressure impacts on your pelvic floor. Even attending a concert or sports game when you are cheering on or singing along has an impact on your pelvic floor and core. 

The core canister holds pressure throughout, think of a plastic water bottle that’s been half drank. When you press at the top, the pressure moves down to the bottom of the bottle. And the opposite, press at the bottom, pressure goes up towards the lid. There’s crinkles and effects along the way as the pressure moves up and down. 

Next time you feel the symptoms arise, think breathing down without force and zipping up on the cough, yell, scream, sneeze… WHILE keeping an upright posture (instead of hovering down). Another cue that I often say in community yoga classes is “pull everything into center”. Without heavy force and contraction of the muscles to engage in the pose or functional task, we can produce the appropriate amount of effort in order to perform the task we are striving to do. 

And with all these tips and tricks, sometimes it’s just rest, increasing fluids, and getting your feet and hips elevated.