Although you can have surgery to repair pelvic organ prolapse, you cannot cure it on your own—in other words, there's little you can do to make your pelvic organ prolapse go away. Kegel exercises can help your symptoms. Avoiding anything that increases inter-abdominal pressure, like chronic coughing or obesity, can help symptoms and potentially help to prevent the progression of prolapse.
Female Reproductive System Disorders
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the female reproductive system is highly fragile and vulnerable to a number of infections, injuries, and diseases. For this reason, it is crucial to visit your doctor annually and take good care of your reproductive health. Health practices like having an annual pap smear and practicing safe sex can reduce your risk of many reproductive health problems. If you experience uncomfortable symptoms in your pelvic region including pain, itching, or unusual discharge, call your doctor. While some itching or discharge can be normal, these symptoms can sometimes be indicative of problems that need medical treatment.
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MountainView Hospital answeredSee All 4 AnswersCauses of pelvic organ prolapse include childbirth and prior surgery. Causes are similar to those of urinary incontinence.
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See All 3 AnswersThe different types of pelvic organ prolapse include the following:
- Cystocele: a hernia of the bladder into the vagina along the front wall
- Rectocele: a hernia of the rectum into the vagina along the back wall
- Enterocele: a hernia of the small intestine into the vagina along the top
- Uterine prolapse: a hernia of the uterus into the vagina along the top
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Pelvic organ prolapse affects the body in a number of ways. Pelvic organ prolapse refers to a hernia of the pelvic organs (bladder, rectum, uterus, small intestines) into or through the vaginal walls. When the pelvic organs herniate into or through the vagina it can cause a variety of symptoms and problems, including the following:
- pressure
- dyspareunia (painful intercourse)
- trouble emptying the bladder
- trouble emptying the bowels
- dryness
- something protruding through the opening of the vagina
- infections
- bleeding
- damage to the organs that are prolapsing
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Women can experience a variety of genital problems that may be caused by infections, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), medications, pregnancy, injury and more. Female genital problems can affect the vagina or vulva and may cause different symptoms, depending on the specific problem.
Symptoms of female genital problems may include abnormal vaginal discharge, itching, pain and bleeding. Symptoms of STDs may include a rash or sore that causes pain or itching. Some conditions may lead to irregular menstrual periods that can include very light or very heavy bleeding.
There are a variety of ways that doctors may diagnose female genital problems. Most of the time, your doctor or gynecologist will begin with a physical exam and a review of your symptoms. For many problems, including infections and sexually transmitted diseases, a doctor will perform a pelvic exam and use a swab to take a sample of discharge or fluid from your vagina or cervix. These samples are then examined under a microscope to look for bacteria or other problematic cells. In some cases, doctors may take blood samples to test for certain hormones, viruses, or other things that indicate a genital problem. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about the process of diagnosing female genital problems.
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Having a hysterectomy can increase your risk for pelvic organ prolapse. A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. This procedure can have a profound effect on the structures that surround the uterus, including other organs, muscles, connective tissue, and ligaments.
A woman who has had a hysterectomy is at particular risk for a prolapsed vagina or small intestine. A prolapsed vagina involves the upper part of the vagina, which is known as the vaginal vault, dropping down into the lower part of the vagina due to a lack of adequate support by muscles and connective tissue. This can only happen if you have had a hysterectomy. An enterocele involves the intestine and abdominal cavity's lining bulging down into the bottom of the pelvic area between the rectum and the vagina.
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Medications are not typically used to treat pelvic organ prolapse as it is an anatomic problem, much like breaking a bone is not typically treated with medications.
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Depending on their cause, female genital problems may cause a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from itching to swelling to unusual discharge. Pain around the vulva may occur due to infection, irritation or injury. Pelvic pain may be a sign of a serious infection or a problem that has spread to the reproductive system.
Some female genital problems can be serious, especially if they're left untreated. Most of the time, genital problems caused by things like yeast infections, bacterial infections and even sexually transmitted diseases are very treatable and won't cause permanent damage as long as they're diagnosed and treated. Because of this, it's important to talk to your doctor if you notice any unusual symptoms so that you can reduce the risk of your genital problems becoming serious.
There are several ways you may help prevent female genital problems. Since many problems are caused by sexual activity, it's a good idea to practice safe sex by using a condom every time and limiting your number of sex partners. Also, women shouldn't douche or apply other strong chemicals (including soaps, sprays, perfumes or lotions) to their vulva or vagina. These chemicals may interfere with the bacteria naturally found in your vagina, which may increase your risk for infection. Wearing cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothing may also reduce your risk for developing an infection. All women and girls should practice good hygiene by keeping the genital area clean and dry to reduce their risk for genital problems. Make sure you also get regular Pap tests and gynecologic exams to reduce your risk of leaving a serious problem undiagnosed and untreated.
In some cases, genital problems may be caused by cancer or genetic conditions, which may run in families. If you know that risk factors for cancer or other genetic conditions run in your family, talk to your doctor about the possibility of regular screenings for these problems.
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UCLA Health answeredDoctors can determine the stage, or degree, of pelvic organ prolapse on a scale of 0 to 3. Stage 0 means no prolapse at all; stage 1 usually means an organ is protruding into the vaginal canal. Many women may not be aware they have this until a doctor notes it during a gynecological exam -- and it’s usually not symptomatic. Stage 2 starts giving people symptoms because it’s close to the opening or to the hymenal ring, or outside the opening of the vagina. Stage 3 is usually total eversion and is very symptomatic. -
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Sigma Nursing answeredSee All 2 AnswersYou should talk to your doctor about your pelvic organ prolapse symptoms early on. Although the subject might seem embarrassing, you will be glad you did. Early treatment can help keep the symptoms from getting worse and interfering with your quality of life. Your doctor can also help you minimize the risk for complications, such as infections or incontinence, if your pelvic organ prolapse is affecting your bladder or bowel functions.