Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment
Garner Pelvic Health specializes in pelvic organ prolapse treatment in Greensboro, NC. If you are suffering from this condition, our providers can help you. We take a functional health approach to all treatments, including pelvic organ prolapse.
What is a Prolapse?
A prolapse is when a reproductive organ in the body begins to succumb to the effects of gravity. A prolapse can be the result of:
- A difficult birth and significant tearing of the pelvic floor.
- Repeated activities include pounding sports maneuvers or lifting weights, including abdominal crunches.
- A significant increase in body weight ( as the internal organs press down against the reproductive organs).
- Weakness of the pelvic floor, the ligaments, and connective tissues, secondary to hormonal changes post-menopause, can contribute to prolapse.
- Connective tissue diseases, such as Ehlers Danlos, can increase prolapse risk.
- Prior Corrective Surgery, such as a hysterectomy, or other abdominal surgery, where the internal organs collapse down on the reproductive organs.
Your risk of Prolapse increases with age, starting at age 40 at 25% and increasing to 50% by age 80 in Women and about 38% in Men.
What Types of Organ Prolapses Are There?
In women, there is a vaginal/uterine prolapse. There are also grades of severity, for example, you may have a sensation of something pushing outwards on urination or defecation or pain on sexual activity. You may have a visible and palpable prolapse with the cervix, protruding outside of the vagina, which severely limits your ability to urinate, have a bowel movement, or be intimate with your partner.
Men and women can suffer from a bladder neck prolapse in the urethra or cystocele, a rectal prolapse rectocele, or small intestine prolapse. Also, both men and women can suffer from rectus diastasis, which separates the Rectus Abdominis muscle down the middle of the abdomen. This creates a bulge in the belly, with the abdominal contents pressing outwards when performing a sit-up.
What Are Pelvic Floor Prolapse Treatments?
Building up the Core and Pelvic Floor muscle strength might be enough to reduce a prolapse. Postural alignment is important to keep the pelvic floor and pelvic organs in line with each other. In other cases, a Pessary for women, a reusable and removable dome-shaped device, may be inserted in the vagina to reduce the prolapse. It is usually left in place for a period of time and then re-checked by your physician or physical therapist.
If the prolapse is too large to benefit from a pessary, surgical procedures, such as pelvic floor reconstruction, exist. Physical Therapy before and after the surgical reconstruction may be beneficial to retrain and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. This therapy utilizes Kegels exercises, Diaphragmatic Breathing, and Core Conditioning through Yoga and Pilates.
How do I Know if I need a Pessary, and How do I Get a Fitting?
Ginger Garner, PT DPT, has specialty training in Pessary fitting, and you may come into her office. You will benefit from additional therapy to increase core and pelvic floor strength and learn beneficial behaviors.
Dr. Ginger can use a rehabilitation ultrasound device called a transperineal view to see the pelvic floor organs. During the ultrasound, we will ask you to bear down and will be able to see the extent of the pelvic floor prolapse. This is a non-invasive procedure.
References:
Dr. Cheryl Iglesia, “Five things I wish all women knew about Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Dec 2023
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists https://www.acog.org
Contact Us For Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment
Here at Garner Pelvic Health in Greensboro, NC, we look at the whole person, not only at “fixing” your prolapse. Our goal is to help you to modify your daily activities to reduce the strain on the pelvic floor. Dietary consult, continence training, bowel and bladder habits, general overall fitness, and Lifestyle Changes are recommended. Contact us today for an appointment.