Pelvic organ prolapse doesn't necessarily get worse over time, and you may not need treatment if the symptoms are not affecting your daily life. Nonsurgical treatments for pelvic organ prolapse can reduce the pain and pressure of mild-to-moderate prolapse and preserve fertility if the uterus is prolapsed.
An untreated prolapse can cause sores on the cervix (opening to the uterus) and increase chances of infection or injury to other pelvic organs.
Surgery is usually done only when the prolapse is affecting your daily life and your doctor thinks surgery will help. Consider surgery if: The prolapse causes pain. You have problems with your bladder and bowels.
It is generally safe to leave prolapse untreated unless the prolapse is very large or causes difficulty with bowel or bladder emptying.
Pelvic organ prolapse isn't life-threatening. In some cases it can cause little or no problems. However, in more severe cases, it may feel very uncomfortable. It might stop you doing the things that you enjoy, and affect your quality of life.
Uterine prolapse occurs when the muscles and tissue in your pelvis weaken. The weakness lets the uterus drop down into your vagina. Sometimes, it comes out through your vaginal opening. Nearly half of all women between ages 50 and 79 have this condition.
Symptoms of moderate to severe uterine prolapse include: Seeing or feeling tissue bulge out of the vagina. Feeling heaviness or pulling in the pelvis. Feeling like the bladder doesn't empty all the way when you use the bathroom.
What type of exercise is best for pelvic organ prolapse? Aerobic exercises three to five times a week (walking, cycling, swimming etc). Aerobic exercise helps your cardiovascular system, muscles, tendons and ligaments to stay strong and will also help you maintain to the correct weight (BMI) for your height and age.
In some cases, the prolapse can be treated at home. Follow your provider's instructions on how to do this. The rectum must be pushed back inside manually. A soft, warm, wet cloth is used to apply gentle pressure to the mass to push it back through the anal opening.
Prolapse symptoms may be worse at different times in the day. Some women notice that they feel more pressure after walking or standing for long periods of time.
If your pelvic organ prolapse doesn't bother you, your health care provider might recommend treating your prolapse without surgery. If symptoms get worse and significantly affect your quality of life, surgery might be needed. Weakness of the pelvic floor often affects more than one area.
Self-care measures might provide relief from symptoms or help prevent the prolapse from getting worse. Self-care measures include performing exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles. These are called Kegel exercises. You might also benefit from losing weight and treating constipation.
The four categories of uterine prolapse are: Stage I – the uterus is in the upper half of the vagina. Stage II – the uterus has descended nearly to the opening of the vagina. Stage III – the uterus protrudes out of the vagina. Stage IV – the uterus is completely out of the vagina.
Most women only have a mild prolapse that may even go away again after a few months or years. But it might gradually get worse over time. About half of all women who have a mild (first-grade or second-grade) pelvic organ prolapse also leak urine sometimes.
Spontaneous rupture of the rectum along with massive ileal evisceration because of increased intraabdominal pressure is a rare complication of rectal prolapse in the adults.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have any of the following signs of uterine prolapse: You feel like something is stuck in or coming out of your vagina. It's painful to pee or poop. You have chronic low back pain or pelvic pressure that's not caused by another condition.
Many women report having great sex even with a POP and, since it is extremely difficult for non-medical professionals to detect a prolapse, your partner probably doesn't even know it's there. However, certain sexual positions can create discomfort in women with POP.
It's most beneficial to do short regular walks though the day alternating walking with sitting out of bed and resting in bed. For example you may be able to walk continuously for 5 minutes at the end of your hospital stay. You'll usually continue walking for 5 minutes, 2-3 times a day when first arriving home.
Abdominal bloating and/or flatulence can be a huge problem for women with prolapse problems. Some ladies find that by the end of the day their abdomen is so bloated that it puts strain on their belly and their prolapse causing abdominal pain and pelvic floor dragging and bulging.
Before you do any activity likely to cause you to strain down, lift and engage (squeeze) your pelvic floor and always remember – breathe throughout the exercises. If you have symptoms of urinary leakage or prolapse, avoid full squats, and keep your legs no more than shoulder width apart if doing half-squats.
Deep squat poses – avoid poses involving deep squats to reduce pressure on the pelvic floor including Garland Pose and Noose Pose. Forward bends with wide legs – avoid or modify wide leg forward bends which increase downward pressure in a vulnerable wide leg position such as Forward Bend with V-Legs.
seeing a doctor for any condition that causes coughing and sneezing, such as asthma, chest infections and hay fever, as repetitive sneezing and coughing may cause or worsen a bladder prolapse. keeping within a healthy weight range. Being overweight is known to make symptoms worse.
Symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse
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.
The longer you sit during the day, the more pressure you exert on the “hammock,” causing damage to your pelvic floor. This can lead to: Pelvic floor dysfunction. Pelvic organ prolapse.
It is much better to prevent prolapse than try to fix it. You are more at risk if any women in your close family have had a prolapse. Prolapse is due to weak pelvic tissues and pelvic floor muscles. You need to keep your pelvic floor muscles strong no matter what your age.