WTF? Pelvic Steam
Welcome to today's Mystical Intelligence topic: Pelvic Steam. My name is Shayla M. Rose; I'm an Intuitive Latinx Healer guiding others to heal through metaphysical and holistic wellness.
WTF is Pelvic Steam?
Pelvic Steam (aka Vaginal Steam, Yoni Steam, V-steam) is an ancient practice that consists of water, herbs, and Steam to help with stagnation in the pelvic area and genitals. Pelvic steams are helpful for cramps, missed periods, residue, hemorrhoids, fibroids, postpartum, infertility concerns, and contractions. Before you read, please know that the field of medicine has not done much research on pelvic steams. However, Stanford Medicine has studied treating benign prostate enlargement using Steam. I will discuss this along the way. Furthermore, I will dive into alchemy, the interconnection between pelvic steams and spirituality.
Where TF does Pelvic Steam Originate? Questions to my mother
I get this question a lot! The origin of pelvic Steam is obscure asf! You may ask why it's so mysterious. Well, the ancient practice of using herbs and water to Steam is folk medicine and has been found worldwide. Many of our ancestors, in one way or another, incorporated steam for gynecological health. I was intrigued by the mystery behind pelvic steam and the reasons why. So I investigated and asked my mother a few curious questions about pelvic steams in Puerto Rico. Here is how it went:
{ES} (1) Mami, cuando estabas en Puerto Rico ¿recuerdas si alguno de tus familiares hacía baños de vapor? Cuando yo era niña mi recuerdo ver mi tia-abuela haciendo bajos
{EN} Mom, when you lived in Puerto Rico, do you remember if any of your relatives used pelvic steam baths? I remember seeing my grandmother's sister doing steam baths when I was a little girl.
{ES} (2) ¿Recuerdas si su tía-abuela usaba hierbas para los bajos? ¿Qué tipo de hierbas? Cuando era niña, recordaba a la hermana y las tías de mi abuela hirviendo hojas de malvavisco creando vapor para hacer sus "bajos.” Le pregunté sobre los tipos de plantas medicinales que su tía-abuela usaría para los bajos, su respuesta fue cualquier planta que estuviera cerca para usar y todo tipo de plantas.”
{EN} Do you remember your grandmother's sister using herbs? What kind did she use? When I was a little girl, I remember my aunts and grandmother's sister boiling marshmallow leaves and creating steam for their "bajos." So I asked about the kinds of medicinal plants her tia-abuelas would use, and her response was "any plant that was around to use and all kinds of them."
Fun fact! The term bajos is used in certain parts of Puerto Rico to describe pelvic steaming. Let’s break it down - Bajo (base) + baños (bath). Base + bath + steam= pelvic steam. Let me know if you can think about a word used to describe pelvic Steam in your culture! But back to the point, pelvic steams are prevalent in all these beautiful continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America - to name a few. Thus, making pelvic steam a universal practice.
Medicine + Research
The continuation of the obscurity of Pelvic Steam trickles down into the field of medicine. In recent years, the field of medicine has researched the benefits of Steam for enlarged prostrates and cardiovascular disease. According to Pandiaraja et al. (2021), they were the first to study the effects of a single steam bath on cardiovascular function. The results of the study point to a decrease in volunteers' high blood pressure (HBP). It was reported that after a single steam bath, there was a decrease in HBP and reduced heart rate, diastolic ( bottom number -blood within arteries between heartbeats ), and systolic ( top number- the pressure when blood goes in the arteries). No adverse effects of a single steam bath were found in the control or experiment group (Pandiaraja et al., 2021). Steam works well to heal the body.
Another piece of research I came across is the Rezum treatment. Rezum is a minimally invasive therapy using Steam to aid prostate gland enlargement (Westwood et al., 2018). In 2015, the FDA approved the study of Rezum. Results show that Rezum is a short-term treatment for restoring and preserving sexual function. However, the therapy excludes individuals with specific urological health concerns. I highly suggest considering how novice this research is, plus the advantages and disadvantages of the results. There's a lot more research to be done! But for now, Steam is making a change in some way or the other in people's health.
I had to leave the best for last on this one! A fascinating study I came across for midwives, doulas, and birthing queens is the research I am about dive into. Recent research conducted by Sholekha et al. (2021) studied the effects of hydrotherapy on pregnant with hypertension. The treatment consists of pregnant women soaking their feet in 37-39C degrees and 40-43C degrees water for 20 minutes. Results show pregnant women who underwent hydrotherapy with higher temperatures (40-43C) had decreased hypertension. To conclude, Sholekha et al. (2021) hope midwives can gain new knowledge and suggest hydrotherapy as an alternative to pills/medicine for pregnant clients with hypertension.
I found these pieces of research helpful in reframing the benefits steaming has on the physical body. My hope for the near future is more research on Pelvic Steam. But, most importantly, for people to have access to such beautiful alternative and holistic medicine.
WTF does Alchemy have to do with anything?
Now let's talk about the alchemical process. On May 2, 2022, I wrote a blog post titled: The Alchemy of Pelvic Steam. I wrote the blog based on my training as a practitioner and my observations. You may wonder wtf does alchemy have to do with pelvic steaming. Imagine the following…
Let's begin by separating each element, water being the primary source of healing. Water -like our feelings- need a container to sit and brew. The pot (earth) becomes a vessel, which can contain heat (fire) and water. The stove or burner flame we see at the bottom creates a flame that fuses/separates different elements together and heats the pot (earth). The pot (earth) rises to a high temperature to create movement in the water. We then begin to see bubbles and hear the whistling water. When we are captivated by the sound, we lift the top, and Steam (air) begins to rise. Then herbs (earth) are sprinkled. With the moisture (water), we can start to heal by sitting over steamy healing waters for our body, pelvic area, reproductive health, and emotions that bring us to a state of oneness (alchemy) and connect us all deeper to earth.
WTF does Spirituality have to do with Pelvic Steam?
As a Pelvic Steam Practitioner, I am honored to merge both mediums of spirituality x pelvic steam as an avenue of healing. This is a continuum of my alchemic practicum. The spiritual side of pelvic Steam has many benefits; I find divine and sacral connections most important from my practice and client observations. These kinds of connections are unique to every individual. The merging of Spirituality and steams is not a "cookie cutter" or a "quick fix" to health concerns/issues. Instead, pelvic Steam is a sacred space to connect with the self in profound ways. There's a need to be patient with the process. Pelvic steam aid in balancing the nervous system. Also, it helps clear away the old (literally old residue), transmutes the past, and reinvigorates creativity within. Remember, spiritual oneness and health are alchemy.
One of the avenues of healing I provide is Pelvic Steams and Pelvic Steams with Intuitive Readings. To schedule an appointment, contact or book here.
Reference
Pandiaraja, M., Vanitha, A., Maheshkumar, K., Venugopal, V., Poonguzhali, S., Radhika, L., & Manavalan, N. (2021). Effect of the steam bath on resting cardiovascular parameters in healthy volunteers. Advances in Integrative Medicine, 8(3), 199–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aimed.2020.06.001
Sholekha, L., Jubaedah, E., & Nurcahyani, L. (2021). THE EFFECT OF HYDROTHERAPY ON THE REDUCTION OF BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH HYPERTENSION AT THE PRIMARY HEALTH CAREASTANAJAPURA CIREBON DISTRICT IN 2019. International Seminar of Gender Equity Maternal and Child Health, 1(1), 109–121. https://doi.org/10.34305/gemic.v1i1.318
Westwood, J., Geraghty, R., Jones, P., Rai, B. P., & Somani, B. K. (2018). Rezum: a new transurethral water vapour therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Therapeutic Advances in Urology, 10(11), 327–333. https://doi.org/10.1177/175628721879308
Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is not intended to provide medical advice.
Note: Pelvic steam as folk medicine is criticized and undervalued. Pelvic steaming is activism against the oppressors and nay-sayers. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. May it bring you health and knowledge!
