Self-Care Tip #7: Pelvic Steaming

Until You Can Get a Massage…Self-Care Tip #7: Pelvic Steaming

What are y’all doing to take care of yourselves? My plants are still alive! Except for one sad coleus plant that shriveled into nothingness for some reason. But my thyme, lemongrass, sage, rosemary, and silver mound are growing like crazy! Besides tending to my little plants, for self-care this week I had a virtual therapy appointment, did some gentle yoga, and continued on my long, solitary, early-morning walks. We’ve also been eating a big salad for dinner every night, which has upped my veggie intake.

Right now I’m still only working on Saturdays, and they are already booked. Thank you so much for your continued patience; when I am able to start booking in the middle of the week I’ll be in touch with each of you to reschedule.

Until you can get a massage again, I’ll just keep on sending out weekly self-care tips. This week I want to talk about Pelvic Steaming. Similar to last week’s tip of Castor Oil Packs, I often recommend it for folks who come to see me for Arvigo Techniques of Mayan Abdominal Therapy®, but can be done by other folks as well (but not if you’re pregnant).

Pelvic Steaming increases blood flow to your pelvic organs, muscles, ligaments and tendons, and increases lymphatic drainage through your pelvic area. It is also incredibly relaxing and decreases stress responses in your body.

Reasons you may want to try a Pelvic Steam at home include:

• Painful, irregular and/or heavy menstrual cycles
• Brown blood at the end of your menstrual bleeding
• PMS symptoms
• Difficulty conceiving
• Ovarian Cysts and PCOS
• Endometriosis
• Uterine polyps and fibroids
• Recurring vaginal infections
• Vaginal dryness
• Menopause Symptoms
• UTIs and bladder infections
• Hemorrhoids

If you have one or more of these symptoms and want to talk to me prior to trying a Pelvic Steam, please call, text or email me!

I actually wrote a blog about Pelvic Steaming a few months back – click here to read it and get more info about when you should steam, precautions and restrictions.

I sell Pelvic Steaming herbs at my office, but due to my restricted office hours it might be hard to get your hands on them if you don’t have a massage scheduled. If you want to do a pelvic steam but need some herbs, you can order them from these local herbal shops:

Artemisia and Rue
Apothecary Tinctura
Meadowsweet Gifts and Wellness/Herbin Alchemy

There are many flowers and herbs that add therapeutic benefits to a Pelvic Steam. Sometimes you can find these herbs in your spice and tea collection at home – if you have herbal teas that have these herbs in them, you can open the tea bag and pour these herbs into your steeping pot. You might even have these growing in your garden or yard (but make sure they haven’t been treated with pesticides or herbicides.)

Flowers and herbs that are great for Pelvic Steaming include:

• Lavender – calming and anti-inflammatory
• Marigold – eases cramps and muscle spasms, anti-inflammatory, reduces hemorrhoid pain
• Chamomile – eases muscle spasms and period pain
• Dandelion – anti-inflammatory
• Damiana – increases sexual desire
• Red Clover – balances hormones, can be used for PMS and menopause symptoms
• Motherwort – brings energy and flow to the uterus, encourages blood flow
• Red Raspberry Leaf – tones the uterus, encourages blood flow
• Calendula – nourishes and soothes the tissues, a wound healer
• Oregano – anti-inflammatory, helps to treat yeast infections
• Basil – anti-inflammatory
• Rosemary – anti-inflammatory

Pelvic Steaming at Home

Set an intention for your pelvic steam – why are you taking care of yourself in this way today? Bring water to a boil, boil the herbs for 10 minutes, remove from heat and steep for another 10 minutes. Remove your underwear and put on socks or slippers prior to hovering over the steeping pot in any of the ways listed below. The steam generally lasts for 20-30 minutes. I recommend journaling, meditating, doing breathing exercises, and really focusing on what you’re feeling physically and emotionally during the steam. If the steam feels too hot, adjust your position as needed to avoid burning yourself with the steam.

In my previous blog about Pelvic Steaming, I show you a picture of the Pelvic Steaming box I have in my office. If you don’t have a Pelvic Steaming box at home, there are other ways to do it:

Kneeling over the steeping pot

• Place the steeping pot on a towel on the floor
• Place towels around the edge of the pot so you don’t burn your legs
• Get down on your knees straddling the steaming pot and rest your upper body on a chair, couch or yoga ball
• Make sure you’re comfortable enough in this position to stay there for 20-30 minutes until the steam runs out
• Wrap a blanket around your lower body to keep the steam in

Putting the steeping pot in a clean toilet bowl

• Clean your toilet bowl, turn off the water in your toilet, then flush it so it’s empty
• Place the steeping pot directly in your toilet and lower the rim
• Sit on the toilet with a towel around your lower body

Under a camp chair

• Cut a hole in a cheap camping chair
• Place your steeping pot under the chair
• Sit on the chair with a towel wrapped around your lower body

If you have any questions, please be in touch!