That 'falling out' feeling? Pelvic pain? What's the cause?

Hello, I'm Choi Yeon-seung, a practitioner of Korean Medicine at Baengnokdam Korean Medicine Clinic.

“Doctor, could something really serious happen if this continues?”

A few days ago, a woman in her late 40s came to my clinic. As is often the case with diligent and responsible individuals, she tried to maintain a calm expression when talking about her body. What she cautiously shared was this:

“Every afternoon, I feel like my body just sinks to the ground. Truly… I wonder if this is what it feels like for everything to drop out. Between taking care of my daughter who's preparing for exams, and my school work… I’ve been living so hectically, I didn’t even realize my body had come to this state.”

Recently, she mustered the courage to visit an OB/GYN, where she was told, “Your uterus has descended slightly, but it’s not severe enough for surgery yet, so let’s monitor it.”

Perhaps what’s most difficult for patients isn’t the symptom itself, but the helplessness of having to cover up their unsettling sensation with the words ‘it’s still okay.’

She asked me:

“Doctor, could this really turn into something serious? Is there nothing I can do but endure it with exercise?”

Today’s discussion begins with this very question.

The Hammock Hasn't Torn Yet

Many people’s first and most fearful question is this:

“Is something truly falling out?”

To put it simply, that sensation is not merely an illusion. It is indeed a feeling that arises as the body's supporting structures weaken and organs actually descend downwards.

However, what we need to focus on is the ‘process’. Inside our pelvis are vital organs such as the uterus, bladder, and rectum. These organs rest comfortably on a strong hammock called the ‘pelvic floor muscles’.

But this hammock doesn't bear the load alone. From above, the diaphragm acts like a lid; from the front and sides, the abdominal muscles; and from behind, the muscles surrounding the spine form strong walls. All these elements work together like a ‘core cylinder,’ stabilizing our body’s center and supporting the organs.

The ‘sensation of something dropping’ is the first sign that appears when the pressure and balance of the entire cylinder supporting the hammock collapse, before the hammock itself tears or breaks. Functional descent begins before structural prolapse occurs.

The Gravity of the 40s

Why do these symptoms particularly concentrate in women in their mid to late 40s? There are two significant reasons:

1. Energy Depletion: Childbirth and childcare, incessant housework and professional life, and emotional stress—all these factors continuously deplete the fundamental energy needed to maintain a strong 'core cylinder.' The strength to endure simply runs out.
2. Hormonal Changes: As women go through perimenopause, the female hormones that keep our muscles and ligaments firm and elastic decrease. Even with the same effort to bear weight, the tissues themselves become looser and more prone to weakening than before.

Ultimately, the late 40s is a period when the energy accumulated over a lifetime begins to run out, and the body’s physical conditions also weaken. It’s when our body’s supportive capacity faces its greatest test.

Finding My Body's Buoyancy

At this point, I always return to one question: What exactly is the essence of all these phenomena?

Korean Medicine explains this complex issue through a single concept: ‘Junggi-haham’ (中氣下陷).

Let’s imagine our body as a giant hot air balloon. ‘Junggi’ (中氣), or Central Qi, is like the warm, powerful air generated by our digestive organs, the body’s core. If this air is sufficiently hot, the balloon can defy gravity and float lightly in the sky. This is the ‘lifting power’ that holds our body’s organs in place.

However, after decades of fuel consumption and a weakening burner flame, the air inside the balloon gradually cools. The balloon then loses its buoyancy and begins to slowly, but surely, sink downwards.

The ‘sensation of something dropping,’ the worsening fatigue by afternoon, the inexplicably stiff lower back—all these scattered symptoms actually stem from a single root. It is the ‘Haham’ (下陷) phenomenon, where the ‘Junggi’ (Central Qi), the power that lifts the body upwards, is depleted and causes things to sink downwards.

Relighting the Burner

So, how can we make this sinking balloon float again? Many people first think of Kegel exercises. Of course, they are important, as they train a specific part of the hammock. However, if the weakened burner flame remains as it is, simply patching up the hammock’s fabric won’t make the balloon rise again.

The fundamental solution is to revive the weakened burner flame and refill the entire balloon with warm air. In Korean Medicine, this is expressed as ‘Bogi-seungyang’ (補氣升陽), meaning to supplement Qi and lift Yang upwards.

This requires a holistic reconstruction process that goes beyond merely training a ‘part’ through Kegel exercises. It involves moving the diaphragm through breathing, correcting posture to activate the entire core, and if necessary, replenishing the depleted ‘Junggi’ itself through Korean herbal medicine.

The signal that your body is sinking downwards is not the end of despair. Rather, it might be the most honest invitation to take care of your body’s foundation and prepare to rise again.

Clinic Information

- Clinic Hours -

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Lunch Break 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

※ We do not offer individual consultations through the blog. For appointments and clinic-related inquiries, please check Naver Place or our official website.

Baengnokdam Korean Medicine Clinic, 3F Songdo Dream City, 81 Convention-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon

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