Jade Eggs: Not all they’re cracked up to be

I was first introduced to jade eggs by a friend. She told me that since she had begun using one regularly, she had experienced better sex with her partner – including enhanced orgasms. It should be stated that she had a very healthy pelvic floor to begin with, so these perceived side effects could be coincidental, but it led me to a couple of questions:

Are these jade eggs really good for you? What is the goal of using them?

I have had many patients ask about vaginal weights, and those tend to fall in the same category, so I started doing some research.

An Ancient Chinese Practice

According to the Universal Healing Tao Center in Thailand, the jade egg is an ancient Chinese practice in which the queen and concubines were taught how to use it. The goal was to remain “young and bountiful” and to “please the king while making love.” What a concept!

In the Tao understanding, the egg provides more power to the pelvic floor muscles and lifts sexual energy inward to be transformed into higher spiritual energy.

They are typically fashioned from obsidian or jade because those have a smooth surface – some are non-porous. The Universal Healing Tao Center provides advice for cleaning the stone eggs as well – they should be boiled or cleaned with a diluted vinegar solution and allowed to dry for at least one hour. One major issue with this is that if the stone eggs are porous (which would be difficult to ascertain), they can easily absorb vaginal fluid and can culture germs and bacteria if it stays wet.

The Infamous GOOP Article

Dr. Jen Gunter wrote a compelling rebuttal to a recent GOOP article promoting the use of jade eggs. She explains that you can easily contract a UTI or bacterial vaginosis due to the egg being porous. Not a good idea!

Dr. Gunter also reflects on the muscle function and damage it can do to the pelvic floor. When one does Kegels incorrectly or is in the habit of constantly contracting their pelvic floor, this can lead to pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, urinary frequency, and so much more.

The therapists at 5 Point PT cannot help but think that a jade egg would only promote a person to clench and contract their pelvic floor all day long, which is not what the body is meant to do.  Imagine shrugging your shoulders all day long and then expecting them not to hurt, be sore, or work properly! It can lead to a boat-load of problems in your pelvis that you didn’t sign up for.

Jade eggs while practicing yoga?

I don’t think so! Mula Bandha is the term for pelvic floor engagement in your yoga practice. It compliments your core strength in positions like Crow pose or certain inversion poses. It does not need to be performed the entire yoga practice; in fact, it can really damage your pelvic floor if you try – so it follows that using a jade egg during yoga would only promote Mula Bandha throughout, which could have very painful consequences.

I have also heard the jade egg can regulate your menstruation by balancing your monthly flow and daily cycle of hormones. I have no idea how a rock could possibly trick your thyroid and pituitary glands into releasing proper hormones into the body. If there is any scientific evidence to support this improbable theory, I’d love for someone to send that over to me.

As pelvic floor physical therapists, we always use caution when advising on vaginal weights or anything inserted into the vaginal canal. Anything you insert needs to be composed of medical grade silicone or plastic. In addition, it should only be used for very short periods of time. As you can see, there is a LOT to learn before putting anything in your “sacred space.”

A majority of the patients we see with dysfunction in their pelvic floor experience excessive tightness. When using any sort of vaginal weight or egg, it can and most likely will increase the tone of the pelvic floor even more – we absolutely do not condone contracting your pelvic floor all day long or contracting the muscles when they are already tight. The pelvic floor is meant to naturally contract during certain lower extremity movements.

The only way I can think of that the jade egg would be beneficial for a patient is the same way a vaginal weight would be beneficial. If you have difficulty engaging your pelvic floor or understanding how to contract it, the egg or weight would give the individual a proprioceptive feedback in the area to squeeze around. Hence, it can awaken the pelvic floor in that respect. However, it is clear that overuse of an egg in the pelvic floor area can cause detrimental effects!

If you are considering the use of a jade egg, we implore you to get evaluated by a pelvic floor physical therapist first.