Still Have Pain After Endometriosis Surgery: 4 Practical Steps to Support Your Body and Recovery
Pain after endometriosis surgery can happen for a variety of reasons, and if you’re still hurting, you don’t have to simply wait and hope it gets better.
Start by talking with your surgeon or healthcare provider, especially if your pain is new, worsening or not improving, as further investigation or treatment may be needed.
A pelvic floor physiotherapist can also help identify muscle tension, weakness or other pelvic floor issues that may be contributing to your pain. Some people may also benefit from specialized massage therapy, such as visceral manipulation or myofascial release.
Supporting your body with an anti-inflammatory lifestyle may also be helpful during recovery.
And if you notice yourself feeling scared or panicked every time you feel pain or another symptom, nervous system support can help you begin approaching those sensations with more curiosity and less fear.
Recovery can involve more than one piece of the puzzle!
Important Reminders:
Talk to your surgeon or healthcare provider if your pain is new, worsening, or not improving.
A pelvic floor physiotherapist or other qualified pelvic health practitioner may help address muscular or pelvic floor issues contributing to pain.
An anti-inflammatory lifestyle can support your overall recovery..
Nervous system support can help you respond to pain with more curiosity and less fear, especially if symptoms tend to trigger worry or panic.
Talk to Your Healthcare Provider About Ongoing Pain After Endometriosis Surgery
Pain after endometriosis excision surgery is such a difficult thing to navigate. Not only physically, but emotionally as well!
After my own excision surgery, I really struggled with pain and honestly didn’t know how to handle it.
It was tough to know if I should reach out to my doctor, just “wait and see,” or accept that this was something I was going to have to get used to.
Another challenge after surgery is knowing whether the pain you’re experiencing is part of the healing process (remember, surgery takes a massive toll on your body!) or whether something else is going on that needs medical attention.
If you’re struggling with new or worsening pain after surgery, speak with your healthcare provider. It’s important that they know what you are experiencing so that if further investigation or treatment is needed, you can get the support you need.
I personally reached out to my doctor a number of times after my surgery. At one point, I ended up with a bladder infection and needed antibiotics.
I’m really glad I didn’t try to just “push through” it.
This is just one small example of why it’s important to let your healthcare provider know what is going on rather than assuming every symptom is something you simply have to live with.
Work With a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist or Other Pelvic Health Specialist
I can’t stress enough how beneficial it can be to get support from a pelvic floor physiotherapist and, when appropriate, other specialists such as massage therapists trained in techniques like visceral manipulation or myofascial release.
Muscle tightness, weakness and other pelvic floor issues can cause A LOT of discomfort and pain.
When you’ve been living with pain or have gone through surgery, muscles around the pelvis can become tense and protective. Some women may also experience muscle spasms or other pelvic floor concerns.
This is where support from a pelvic floor physio can be so helpful!
After my surgery, I went for both pelvic floor physiotherapy and specialized massage, including visceral manipulation and myofascial release. For me personally, this helped reduce my pain levels.
If you’re considering physiotherapy, massage or another form of hands-on treatment after surgery, make sure you follow your surgeon or healthcare provider’s guidance about when it is safe to begin. Your body needs time to heal, and some treatments may not be appropriate during the earlier stages of recovery.
Support Your Recovery With an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle
As a Natural Nutrition Clinical Practitioner and Pain Recovery Coach, this is absolutely one of my favourite topics! I won’t dive too deeply into it here because I’ll be talking much more about it in future articles.
You’ve probably heard the terms “anti-inflammatory diet” or “anti-inflammatory foods.” I actually prefer to think about it as an anti-inflammatory lifestyle because caring for your body involves so much more than just “eating clean.”
Nutrition matters, but so do things like movement, sleep, your daily routines (including products you use), stress, mindset and the way you care for yourself.
Supporting your body with nourishing foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, quality sources of protein, healthy fats and fibre can be a great place to start.
But there is something I really want you to remember:
There isn’t one perfect diet for endometriosis.
And there isn’t one diet that works for everyone.
The best way of eating is one that supports your body, gives you the nutrients you need and is actually sustainable for your life.
The best diet is the one that works for your body!
That being said, I will always advocate for a whole foods diet that contains as few processed foods as possible.
The goal is not to become paranoid about every single thing you eat, use or do. It’s about creating a way of living that supports your body rather than feeling like you constantly have to fight against it.
Support Your Nervous System and Approach Pain With Less Fear
One of the most challenging things for me after my endometriosis surgery wasn’t only the pain. It was the fear, anxiety and panic I felt around my pain and symptoms.
I really wasn’t expecting such a huge wave of anxiety to come up after surgery.
Every pain or symptom I felt scared me.
Some of the thoughts I had:
“What if something else is wrong?”
“What if they missed something?”
“Will things ever get better?”
“Am I stuck this way forever?”
Overall, I was just scared.
I was afraid of something worse happening and of not being able to do the things I enjoyed doing in life.
If you’re struggling with fear right now, I want you to know that you’re not alone.
You may have spent months or even years dealing with pain, worrying about symptoms, going to appointments, searching for answers and wondering what was happening inside your body. And then you went through surgery on top of all of that.
It’s a lot!
After everything your body has been through, it can make sense that you’re paying very close attention to every little sensation in your body.
The problem is that when every twinge, pain or symptom immediately feels like a sign that something terrible is happening, it can be very difficult to ever truly relax.
You might notice a symptom and instantly think:
“Oh no. Not again.”
Then you start searching online for answers.
Thinking about it.
Wondering if it’s getting worse.
Worrying about what it means.
And before you know it, your whole body feels like it’s on high alert.
This IS NOT about ignoring your pain.
It IS NOT about telling yourself nothing is wrong when something may genuinely need medical attention.
And it definitely isn't about pretending your pain is “all in your head.”
➡️It’s about learning that once you've taken the appropriate steps to have your symptoms medically assessed, you don't necessarily have to meet every sensation in your body with immediate fear. You can begin to bring in a little curiosity instead.
There’s a lot to this topic (say tuned for future blog posts), but an easy place to start is choosing to be curious.
So the next time you feel a pain or symptom in your body you can start by saying:
“I notice this sensation. I don’t have to panic about it right away.”
And:
“Can I give my body a moment before assuming the worst?”
The more panicked we become by a symptom, the more attention we tend to give it. Our nervous system can become more alert, and suddenly that one sensation feels like the only thing we can focus on.
Curiosity gives you another option.
For me personally, learning to look at my symptoms differently has helped me feel much safer in my body. I have more peace. I don't panic the way I used to every time I feel something.
And because of that, I feel like I have so much more freedom in my life.
How To Get Started:
➡️If you’re reading this thinking: “Okay, but how do I actually do all of this? It sounds good, but I don’t even know where to start.
I get it!
There can be so many different pieces to recovery that trying to figure everything out on your own can feel completely overwhelming. You deserve support that looks at the bigger picture of what you’re going through.
While I’ve trained in nutrition, hormones and pain recovery, my own personal journey through chronic pelvic pain and surgery is a huge part of why I created my Pelvic Pain Recovery Program.
It’s designed to support women navigating endometriosis and ongoing pelvic pain, including those who are recovering after surgery and wondering, “What do I do now?”
This is a personalized, 1:1 coaching program where I guide you through a three-phase approach to support your nutrition, lifestyle and pain recovery.
Together, we work toward helping you feel more confident in your body, less afraid of every symptom and more able to get back to doing the things you love, without pain dictating your every move.
If you’re struggling with pain after endometriosis surgery, don’t know where to start and are tired of trying to figure things out on your own:
📲BOOK A FREE CALL to see if the Pelvic Pain Recovery Program is the right, next best step for you.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with your doctor, surgeon, or qualified healthcare provider about ongoing, new, or worsening pain and any concerns about your recovery.
Comments