UTERINE DISPLACEMENT.
This prevalent complaint among the women of America is due, in ninety per cent. of the cases, to constipation, and that is mainly attributable to tight lacing. In the majority of our countrywomen the sigmoid flexure (see diagram beginning of work) is distended to nearly double its natural size, pressing upon the womb, which necessarily displaces it, but in addition the colon, through impaction, frequently becomes highly inflamed and communicates the inflammation to the womb, making it heavy and relaxed.
The ascending and descending colon lie immediately behind the ovaries, and if (as is often the case) it becomes distended to double its size, it stretches the broad ligaments and ovarian connections, frequently breaking them away from their peritoneal attachments or carrying the peritoneum downward with them.
The Fallopian tubes, which penetrate and are attached to the peritoneal sack, together with the uterine broad ligaments, are designed to hold the womb in place, but if the womb and ovaries are crowded down into the pelvic cavity and the womb doubled upon itself, dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation, or amenorrhea, with convulsions, is the result. Perhaps there may even be a complete stoppage, so that Nature menstruates vicariously and casts it off through the lungs or bowels.
TREATMENT.
Empty the colon and keep it clean by regular use of the “Cascade,” and wear your clothing as loose as your husband’s or brother’s, and the womb will go back into its place, and all the bad symptoms disappear. It may be, though, that the tendons and ligaments have become partially paralyzed through the uterus having been so long out of place.
After emptying the colon, if there is pain in the back, with a bearing down sensation, sit in half a tub of hot water for fifteen or twenty minutes once every other day. Throw yourself on your back with the hips raised as high as possible, then rub up from the pelvic bone. This will reduce the displacement of the sigmoid flexure, besides giving relief. Should the womb not go back into place, call in a physician to replace it.
Painful menstruation and leucorrhea, which are caused by displacement of the womb, inflammation and hypertrophy, or hardening of the womb, enlarged and sensitive ovaries, can all be speedily cured by flushing the colon.