After being diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse, a woman generally has four options:
- No treatment – watch how things go
- Pessary for support
- Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises “KEGELS” or referral to pelvic floor physical therapy to improve muscle tone
- Surgery to correct the prolapse
Just because you have been diagnosed with prolapsed , does not mean you need to undergo treatment. Treatment depends on how bothersome you perceive the symptoms. The goal of treatment should be your quality of life.
So if the prolapse is not causing discomfort or interfering with the things that a woman enjoys doing, it may not require treatment. One exception to this rule occurs with severe prolapse, which can block the flow of urine and cause recurrent urinary tract infections or even kidney damage. This is an infrequent situation which can be checked for at the time of a physical exam. Since the symptoms associated with prolapse often progress very gradually, the adaptive changes in physical or social activities may go unnoticed until they are extreme.
Symptoms that may lead a woman to seek treatment include:
- Discomfort (usually pressure, fullness, or pain)
- Bleeding from the exposed skin that rubs on pads or underwear
- Urinary symptoms of leakage, difficulty starting the stream of urine, frequent urinary tract infections
- Difficult bowel movements – the need to strain or push on the vagina to have a bowel movement
At Virginia Beach OB/GYN Prolapse and Incontinence Center, your physician works with you to develop the most appropriate treatment plan that takes into consideration your overall health, lifestyle and personal goals.