Vaginal Prolapse Help

How Common Is It?

Some people erroneously claim that the vagina falls out in women, but this is not technically accurate as the vagina does not fall out of your body. So what does this mean? What they are referring to is vaginal prolapse, which is when the muscles that support the pelvic organs weaken. This can cause the bladder, uterus, urethra, or rectum to drop down into the vaginal canal. If the pelvic floor muscles weaken enough, these organs can even protrude out of the vagina.

Different Types Of Prolapses

• Anterior Vaginal Prolapse (cystocele or urethrocele)
  When the bladder drops into the vagina.
  
  
• Posterior Vaginal Prolapse (rectocele)
  When the vaginal wall separating the rectum from the vagina becomes weak, allowing the rectum to bulge into the vaginal canal.
  
  
• Uterine Prolapse (descensus or procidentia)
  When the uterus begins to slide down into the vagina.
  
  
• Apical Prolapse (vaginal vault prolapse)
  When the upper part of the vagina or cervix slides down into the vaginal canal.

Vaginal Prolapse Symptoms

Having an annual checkup with an OB-GYN will help assure that you are in good health. There can be a wide range of symptoms because of the different organs that prolapses can affect, but should you have symptoms like the ones below, you should make sure to mention them to your doctor.

• Pressure or fullness in the pelvic area
• Lower backache that gets better when you lie down
• Painful intercourse or penetration from a sex toy
• Feeling like something is falling out of the vagina
• Urinary leaking or a chronic urge to urinate
• Chronic constipation
• Abnormal spotting or bleeding from the vagina
• A lump at the opening of the vagina
• Feeling like you're sitting on something
• Frequent bladder infections

Contributors Of Vaginal Prolapse

• Childbirth
• Menopause
• Constant coughing
• Pressure from excess weight
• Chronic constipation
• Lifting heavy objects
• Fibroids
• Smoking
• Genetics

Prolapse Testing

• A pelvic exam where your physician asks you to bear down as though you are trying to push out a bowel movement can help them to determine if there is a prolapse. Also, checking how well you can tighten and release to control urine will be evaluated.
  
  
• Urodynamic testing where your bladder function is tested can also be done. Uroflowmetry tests will measure the strength of your urine stream, while the cystometrogram test will determine how full your bladder needs to become before you have to urinate.
  
  
• Imaging tests of your pelvic organs can also be performed, such as a pelvic ultrasound, pelvic floor MRI or a CT scan.

Prevention

• Keep a healthy weight
• Ensure proper nutrition
• Exercise
• Do Pelvic floor exercises (Kegel exercise)

Complications From Vaginal Prolapse

• Vaginal sores
• Urinary tract infections
• Difficulty urinating or having bowel movements
• Sexual Difficulties

Treatments

Weight Loss

Losing excess weight may help take pressure off your bladder and other pelvic organs.

A Pessary Device

A removable vaginal pessary is an insertable doughnut-shaped ring inserted into the vagina and holds the bulging tissues in place of the pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Examples of different models shown below:

Surgery

Surgery using your own tissue, donor tissue, or artificial material will support weakened pelvic floor muscles. Surgery can be performed through the vagina or small incisions in the abdomen (laparoscopic surgery).

Large Dildos

Depending on what your doctor or pelvic floor therapist recommends for treatment, some of our customers with vaginal prolapse have found that using larger dildos helps to push vaginal tissue back into place.

Sex Pillows & Sex Toy Mounts

In addition, some customers have found that using sex pillows or sex toy mount pillows that we carry have allowed them to discover various positions that will enable the vaginal canal to be positioned so that insertion is more effortless. The sex pillows and sex pillow mounts provide a soft yet firm support to hold one in positions that may be challenging to stay in without them.

Kegel Exercises

Simply squeezing your pelvic muscles can help. These can be felt by purposely stopping urine flow in midstream and starting again. The muscles that squeeze the urethra and anus are the ones involved.

To learn more about how to prevent and strengthen pelvic floor muscles, please see our helpful educational guides:

• How To Do Kegel Exercises
  
  
• How To Use Kegel Weights

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