Pelvic organ prolapse is when one or more of the organs in the pelvis is not getting the support it needs and can bulge into the vaginal canal. It can be the womb (uterus), bowel, bladder or top of the vagina. A prolapse is not life threatening, but it can cause lots of various symptoms and discomfort.

Prolapse can happen when a lot of pressure has been put through the pelvis (e.g. pushing during birthing) and the structures (muscles, tendons and ligaments) that support the organs have been stressed. It is quite common to feel these symptoms immediately postnatal but it shouldn’t last longer than 6 weeks postpartum. If it does then intervention (physiotherapy) is necessary.

There are many risk factors that could increase your chance of experiencing prolapse.

These include:

• Pregnancy and childbirth – especially if you had a long pushing phase, or if you gave birth to a large baby or multiple babies

• Getting older and going through the menopause

• Having long-term constipation or a long-term health condition that causes you to cough and strain

• Having a hysterectomy

• A job that requires a lot of heavy lifting

Some health conditions can also make a prolapse more likely, including joint hypermobility syndrome, Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes.

Some Things you might be feeling:

• Heaviness, dragging or a feeling of bearing down in the vagina

• Things just not feeling like they’re in the right place in your vagina

• Feelings of fullness in the vagina like you have a tampon in when you don’t

• Feeling or seeing a bulge or lump in or coming out of your vagina

• Weeing more often

• Feelings of full bladder but there’s little or nothing when you go for a wee

• Not fully emptying your bowels or doing so with difficulties

• Discomfort or numbness during sex

These are all ways that your body is trying to communicate to you that things aren’t quite right, and should be reasons for you to seek guidance from a specialist.

Physiotherapy can help with managing symptoms of prolapse by changing the way your body perceives the area neurologically. By working with the breath and the tissue and progressing movement slowly we can build up the resilience of your body, tissue and neurological system so the symptoms are no longer expressed.

80% of prolapses do not worsen in a lifetime and to make sure you are in harmony with your body and managing things well we can ensure your symptoms do not continue to interrupt your life. We work with mindset, nutrition, manual therapy, breath and movement along with lifestyle changes to help the body adapt and heal

So, please don’t just continue on in hope the symptoms will disappear; book in if things don’t feel right in your pelvis as we have the tools to help you feel better.

You can also find more information or read more about the different Pelvic Health appointments available on our website HERE