How Pelvic Prolapse Is Treated
Posted on: 23 April 2020
Pelvic prolapse, perhaps more than any other condition, can be absolutely horrifying for a woman to go through. In extreme cases, it's not unheard of for a woman's internal reproductive organs to literally come out through the vagina. Although terrifying, this is a condition that can be readily treated by medical professionals. Here's what you should know.
How Prolapse Begins
For most women, prolapse begins completely naturally. It usually happens due to a combination of age and giving birth earlier on in life.
As you age, and after you give birth especially, the connective tissues that keep everything in place tend to weaken. With childbirth in particular, the vagina is stretched as the body gives birth, the hips widen, and not everything bounces back after you've delivered the child. When combined with age, this can leave enough space in the vagina and weaken connective tissues enough that the internal organs start to effectively droop, and in severe cases, they can start to drop out of the body entirely.
How It's Diagnosed
If you arrive to an emergency room with your uterus partially protruding from your body, your doctors will have a good idea of what's already going on. However, whether this is going on or not they'll likely run some medical scans to get a better idea of what's happening inside. These scans usually include x-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds. This will allow them to check for foreign bodies like tumors or large ovarian cysts that may be causing the organs to droop, while also seeing if the connective tissue is stretched or even absent.
How It's Treated
If you have normal pelvic prolapse that's been caused by natural life events like having a child, your doctor will get to work treating you right away. Depending on the severity of the condition, this may involve simple or serious medical procedures.
For example, if you're diagnosed with pelvic prolapse but nothing has drooped out of your body, you may simply be taught some exercises to help strengthen your connective tissues and pelvic muscles to keep everything in place. These are called kegels, and with regular practice, your pelvic prolapse may be a thing of the past.
In severe cases, though, like when organs droop out of the body, surgery may be required. This procedure usually introduces a type of mesh that prevents the organs from drooping anymore. Talk to your doctor for more information on what will be done to help you.
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