Pelvic organ prolapse develops when the strong, taut “sling” of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues that support your pelvic organs — known as the pelvic floor — becomes weak or loose, allowing one or more of your organs to herniate down into your vagina.
If you have this common pelvic floor disorder, you’re not alone: One in four women live with some type of pelvic support problem, including pelvic organ prolapse.
As disruptive as pelvic organ prolapse can be, it’s also highly treatable. Read on as our New Beginnings OB/GYN team explores the various conservative and surgical solutions that can help restore pelvic floor strength and function for long-lasting symptom relief.
Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the connective tissues, muscles, and ligaments that form your pelvic floor become too weak to support your pelvic organs, allowing your uterus, bladder, or small intestines to slip down into — or even protrude out of — your vagina.
This can give rise to a range of irritating symptoms, including:
Many women report feeling like something is falling out of their vagina, especially during exercise or after standing for long stretches. Some women find they must push a protruding organ back to help with urination or bowel movements.
Certain factors make pelvic organ prolapse more likely, including pregnancy and vaginal childbirth, older age (especially after menopause), being overweight, chronic constipation, and a lifestyle or job that involves repeated heavy lifting.
Virtually all women lose some amount of vaginal support as their pelvic floor muscles age, in a natural process that’s often compounded by childbirth. When these changes result in pelvic organ prolapse, the resulting symptoms can be mild or severe. Fortunately, there are effective treatment options for every level of required care.
In most pelvic organ prolapse cases, the simplest, least invasive treatment options should be tried first. While the condition can — but doesn’t necessarily — worsen over time, conservative care can also help it stay stable or improve. This may include:
Pelvic floor training is a form of physical therapy that uses various exercises — particularly Kegels — to improve the strength and tone of your pelvic floor muscles. To perform Kegels, contract the muscles around your anus and vagina and lift them upward as if you’re trying to stop the flow of urine.
Certain lifestyle changes may ease pelvic organ prolapse symptoms. If urinary leakage is an issue, try limiting your intake of fluids like caffeine and alcohol; bowel problems may improve if you increase your fiber intake. Weight loss may also provide some level of relief.
Post-menopausal women may benefit from vaginal estrogen cream, tablets, or a ring. This type of direct hormone therapy can promote stronger, healthier vaginal and pelvic tissues.
Typically made of silicone, a pessary is a small device that you insert into your vagina to support a sagging pelvic floor and hold your pelvic organs in place. This simple, removable device comes in many shapes and sizes for optimal fit and comfort.
Biofeedback therapy uses special sensors to measure pelvic floor muscle contractions as you perform Kegel exercises. Done over the course of several weekly sessions, this method can help you locate and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles more effectively.
This treatment involves stimulating weak pelvic floor muscles with small electric energy currents, which trains them to contract more effectively. It’s often combined with biofeedback therapy.
When pelvic organ prolapse is severe or worsens despite conservative care, surgery may be the best option. However, surgical treatment isn’t a good choice if you aren’t done having children, as childbirth can prompt pelvic prolapse recurrence.
There are two surgical approaches for pelvic organ prolapse:
Obliterative pelvic prolapse repair sews the vaginal wall shut to keep your pelvic organs in their place. This simple approach has a high rate of success, but it also means you can no longer have sexual intercourse.
Reconstructive prolapse repair, the more common approach, aims to restore your pelvic organs to their normal positions by repairing and reconstructing the weakened part of your pelvic floor.
In some cases, our team may recommend additional procedures when you’re having pelvic organ prolapse surgery. For example, you may require a hysterectomy for our team to access and repair your pelvic floor. We use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible.
Are you tired of living with the discomfort of pelvic organ prolapse? New Beginnings OB/GYN can help. Call us today, or click online to schedule a visit with Dr. Christina Parmar or Dr. Rania Ibrahim in our Shenandoah, Texas, office at your convenience.