It’s estimated that 3-6% of American women develop symptomatic pelvic prolapse, which takes many of them by surprise because few expect their uterus to slip down into the vagina. The doctors at The Ob-Gyn Center have years of experience helping women prevent pelvic prolapse and offering expert treatment when it happens. If you have questions about pelvic prolapse, call the office in Las Vegas, Nevada, or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment.
To really understand pelvic prolapse, it helps to know about your pelvic floor muscles, because they cause the problem.
The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that support your uterus, bladder, and rectum, essentially creating a sling that holds all the pelvic organs in place. Some of the muscles in this group also control urination and bowel movements.
Your pelvic floor muscles can be stretched during vaginal childbirth, when you lift heavy objects, and even from frequent coughing. Pelvic surgery can also damage the muscles, and they naturally weaken as you get older.
When your pelvic floor muscles are too weak or damaged to support one or more organs, you may experience:
Weak pelvic floor muscles also cause pelvic organ prolapse.
Prolapse means to slip forward or down. When you have a pelvic organ prolapse, one of the organs supported by the pelvic floor muscles drops down from its normal position.
When the uterus prolapses, it pushes down against your vagina, causing a bulge in the vaginal wall. In very severe cases, the uterus can protrude out of the vagina.
In many cases, you can feel the bulge of a prolapsed uterus. You may also experience a feeling of heaviness or like something is pulling in your pelvis.
Your treatment depends on the severity of the prolapse. Your doctor at The Ob-Gyn Center may recommend one or more of the following options:
If you’re overweight, you’ll reduce pressure on the pelvic area by losing weight. This can help prevent pelvic prolapse and help to treat a mild prolapse.
Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles may be all you need to treat a mild prolapse. Exercising your pelvic floor muscles can also relieve urinary incontinence.
A pessary is a removable device that’s inserted into the vagina to support pelvic organs.
Your doctor may recommend minimally invasive surgery to repair the prolapsed organ and to reconstruct pelvic floor muscles.
If you experience symptoms of pelvic prolapse, call The Ob-Gyn Center or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment.
