How do ADHD and the pelvic floor go together?

Doing a headstand to help my ADHD symptoms.

October is ADHD awareness month. As the owner of Insight Pelvic Health, I can tell you first hand how ADHD and your pelvic floor are related. My knowledge comes not just from my experience with my patients, but because of the countless times my own ADHD diagnosis has impacted my pelvic floor health.

First, let’s talk about ADHD.

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Most people think of it as a condition that is characterized by hyperactivity and the inability to pay attention. Yes, both of those characteristics play a role in ADHD, which lead to the original naming of the condition. More recently, however, psychologist have pointed out that those with ADHD are also commonly impacted by irrational emotions or difficulty regulating emotions.

I was not diagnosed with ADHD until I was in physical therapy school in my 20’s. Most women are not diagnosed with it until they are in their 20’s, 30’s, or even 40’s because we don’t necessarily exhibit the hyperactivity, as seen more in boys, or the inattention piece. Yes, we have both these qualities, they just show differently, like biting our finger nails (hyperactivity) and needing to read things 10 times before we actually understand what we just read (inattention).

While I do have some hyperactivity and inattention, the part of ADHD that impacts my pelvic floor health is my difficulty regulating my emotions. When my emotions are not regulated (high stress, high anger, high anxiety), my pelvic floor is clenched so tight that nothing will come out (until it just starts to leak out!)

We see this in the people we work with, too. People who have increased levels of stress (whether or not that stress is related to ADHD) have tighter pelvic floor muscles. When the pelvic floor muscles are tight, it can lead to pain with penetration, needing to pee more often, leaking pee, constipation, and other symptoms.

Everyone needs a plan in order to manage, and so do I. Currently, I am managing my ADHD with exercise, meditation, limited sugar and caffeine intake, and work with my coach/therapist. I know that when my ADHD is not managed well I will need to make an appointment with my pelvic floor physical therapist because that is when I most often experience a return of my symptoms: pain with penetration, urge incontinence (leaking urine the minute I get to my house), and urge incontinence with bowels (yup, I have pooped my pants.) Let me just say, the symptoms I just listed definitely don’t help with my unregulated emotions.

If I can keep my ADHD symptoms managed, my pelvic floor symptoms are likely to also stay managed with minimal maintenance: diaphragmatic breathing throughout my day, occasional use of my pelvic wand and, of course, a visit or two to my own pelvic floor PT.

Watch the video below for diaphragmatic breathing to help your pelvic floor stay relaxed.

Diaphragmatic breathing can help relax your mind and your pelvic floor

Watch the video below for one exercise that really helps with my attention/focusing skills.

For a quick brain boost: stand on your head or do another form of inversion with your head below your heart.