When I poop, I’ll take my hand and make a “knife hand” and massage the area above my hip and grab the side of my stomach while bending over to help the poop get out instead of straining. It’s this weird?

  • PlasterAnalyst@kbin.socialOP
    2·
    10 months ago

    Apparently it’s called a colon or bowel massage and you do it on your left side, which is what I always have done. TIL

    • spiffy_spaceman@lemmy.world
      3·
      10 months ago

      So, the rectum (poops last stop before freedom) is actually deep inside your pelvis as your colon makes the turn from the left side to the center, so your massage isn’t moving the poop out like squeezing a toothpaste tube. However, it lies close to some internal muscles like the iliacus which can put pressure on it if they’re stiff or inflamed (not unheard of in western society), and massaging them can get them to relax and relieve the pressure.

      You’re certainly not hurting anything with this, and since you’ve been doing it for so long, you may have developed a psychosomatic connection that might actually help your bowels do their work. It’s weird, but go right ahead massaging the shit out of yourself because it might help in some way.