The recommended treatment will depend on the type and severity of the prolapse, your symptoms and your overall health. You and your doctor will decide together what's the best option for you. Pelvic organ prolapse happens when the group of muscles and tissues that normally support the pelvic organs, called the pelvic floor, becomes weakened and cannot hold the organs in place firmly. A number of things can weaken your pelvic floor and increase your chance of developing pelvic organ prolapse.
Pelvic organ prolapse will usually be classified on a scale of 1 to 4 to show how severe it is, with 4 being a severe prolapse. Page last reviewed: 24 March Next review due: 24 March Overview - Pelvic organ prolapse Contents Overview Treatment. It can be the womb uterus , bowel, bladder or top of the vagina. A prolapse is not life threatening, but it can cause pain and discomfort.
Symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse Pelvic organ prolapse symptoms include: a feeling of heaviness around your lower tummy and genitals a dragging discomfort inside your vagina feeling like there's something coming down into your vagina — it may feel like sitting on a small ball feeling or seeing a bulge or lump in or coming out of your vagina discomfort or numbness during sex problems peeing — such as feeling like your bladder is not emptying fully, needing to go to the toilet more often, or leaking a small amount of pee when you cough, sneeze or exercise stress incontinence Sometimes pelvic organ prolapse has no symptoms and is found during an internal examination carried out for another reason, such as cervical screening.
A complete prolapse occurs when the uterus falls so far down that some tissue protrudes outside of the vagina. Women who have a minor uterine prolapse may not have any symptoms. Moderate to severe prolapse may cause symptoms, such as:. If you develop these symptoms, you should see your doctor and get treatment right away. Without proper attention, the condition can impair your bowel, bladder, and sexual function. The risk of having a prolapsed uterus increases as a woman ages and her estrogen levels decrease.
Estrogen is the hormone that helps keep the pelvic muscles strong. Damage to pelvic muscles and tissues during pregnancy and childbirth may also lead to prolapse. Any activity that puts pressure on the pelvic muscles can increase your risk of a uterine prolapse.
Other factors that can increase your risk for the condition include:. Your doctor can diagnose uterine prolapse by evaluating your symptoms and performing a pelvic exam.
During this exam, your doctor will insert a device called a speculum that allows them to see inside of the vagina and examine the vaginal canal and uterus. You may be lying down, or your doctor may ask you to stand during this exam. If the prolapse is severe, talk with your doctor about which treatment option is appropriate for you.
The use of vaginal estrogen has been well-studied and shows improvement in vaginal tissue regeneration and strength. How to do a proper Kegel is vital to the success of the treatment. These exercises can be done anywhere and at any time and can help strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. Your health care provider or physical therapist can instruct you on how to perform a proper Kegel while in the office, at which time proper technique can be evaluated.
Sometimes, a technique called biofeedback may be applied. During biofeedback treatments, a device will monitor proper muscle contraction, the strength of the pelvic floor and timing of Kegels. This reinforces proper technique of the exercises.
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