Prolapse

What is a Rectal Prolapse Repair Surgery?

A rectal prolapse can affect men, women and children. It can occur as a result of weak pelvic floor muscles, allowing the rectum to drop downwards until it can eventually protrude inside out from the anus. The pelvic floor muscles can weaken as a result of many things, including excess body weight, straining due to constipation, or childbirth.

The surgical treatment of a rectal prolapse is similar to that of a pelvic organ prolapse with one significant difference – your surgeon can gain access to the prolapse via the anus / perineum, rather than the vagina.

Is Surgery Right For You?

Although embarrassing, it is important that you seek treatment for your rectal prolapse as early as possible. To avoid it worsening, permanently protruding and causing irreparable nerve damage.

Surgery is usually reserved for...

What Is a Prolapsed Bladder Surgery?

A prolapsed bladder (cystocele) is a common condition where the bladder droops or drops from its position as it is no longer supported by the pelvic floor muscles. As the organ prolapses it begins to push into the front wall of the vagina, causing a noticeable and often painful bulge. To read more about bladder prolapses, visit the Types of Prolapse page.

Surgery is usually the last resort to attempt to resolve a bladder prolapse. Reserved for those that have been unable to relieve their symptoms and reduce the prolapse sufficiently through non-surgical treatments.

If you require surgery for a prolapse, then your surgeon will talk you through the process and your options. As with any medical procedure, it’s a good idea...

A vaginal pessary is a removable device, usually made from body-friendly silicone, latex, vinyl or rubber. It is designed to be worn comfortably inside the vagina to add support where the pelvic floor muscles have become so weak that one or more pelvic organs have prolapsed, or are in danger of prolapsing. It acts as a brace, offering structural support for the pelvic organs. They are often favoured as a long term solution for pelvic organ prolapses, where surgery is not suitable and/or future children are wanted. They can also be used as a temporary measure before a prolapse repair surgery to relieve symptoms, and are often so successful that surgery is no longer desired.

If you think you might be experiencing a pelvic organ prolapse, as with all medical conditions it is important that you talk to your doctor as early as possible.

Recovering from Enterocele (Small Bowel) Prolapse Surgery: Beverley's Story

What Treatments are Available for Pelvic Organ Prolapse?

If you're concerned that you have the symptoms of a pelvic organ prolapse, rest assured that there are a wide variety of treatments available.

Ranging from lifestyle changes such as incorporating daily Kegel / pelvic floor exercises into your routine, to the fitting of a vaginal pessary or undergoing a targeted surgical procedure. With advice from your doctor or healthcare professional, you'll be able to choose the right treatment for your situation.

Don't hesitate to contact our team if you have any questions regarding your pelvic floor health - we're here to help you on your journey to recovery.

In our prolapse treatment series, you can read...

A vaginal / pelvic organ prolapse is when a pelvic organ slips down into the vaginal space, bulging uncomfortably (and often painfully) into the vagina. Developed prolapses can eventually protrude outside of the vagina, taking the vaginal walls with it. In each case the prolapse has occurred because the pelvic floor muscles have been weakened and can no longer do their job of holding everything in place. There are many reasons why your pelvic floor muscles can weaken. It could be as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, being overweight or obese, the menopause, heavy lifting, persist coughing, or performing regular high intensity exercise. Take a look at our causes and symptoms section for more details and what early warning signs you can look out for.

Vaginal prolapses are uncomfortable and painful, not to mention embarrassing. They can cause symptoms like urinary or faecal incontinence and can affect our enjoyment of sex...

How Can Pelvic Floor Exercises Prevent Pelvic Organ Prolapses?

The pelvic floor is a group of thick, strong muscles and ligaments that sit at the bottom of the pelvic area. Their job is to hold all of the pelvic organs in place, by acting as a muscular hammock. However, like all muscles in the body, if you don’t exercise them, then you lose them. If the pelvic floor muscles become weak and loosen, then they can no longer do their job as effectively. A weak pelvic floor is the leading cause of pelvic organ prolapses.

Pelvic floor, or Kegel exercises are designed to keep the pelvic floor muscles strong. They’re the best defence both against a pelvic organ prolapse, or if you already have one, preventing it from getting any worse and strengthening the muscles to bring the organ back into position. Even if a pelvic organ prolapse is so severe that it requires...

A pelvic organ prolapse can really knock your self-esteem and leave you feeling uncomfortable in your body. If you’re in a romantic relationship, you may have some specific concerns about whether you can continue to have a sex life that is satisfying for both you and your partner. It might feel difficult, but rest assured – there is life after prolapse or prolapse surgery.

As specialists in pelvic health, we at Kegel8 understand what you’re going through and are here to help you feel like yourself again.

This guide will answer your questions and give you some tips on how to regain your confidence in the bedroom.

Could Having Sex Make My Prolapse Worse?

Definitely not! As you know, having a prolapse means that your vaginal walls or cervix have bulged or dropped downwards. Intercourse involves something being pushed into the vagina – the opposite of a prolapse. There is no risk of your prolapse being...

Can you Exercise with a Pelvic Organ Prolapse?

We need to regularly exercise in order to help maintain a healthy weight and to stay fit and strong. It is one of the most important ways to help prevent a pelvic organ prolapse. Being overweight or obese puts extra strain on the pelvic floor, weakening it, increasing the severity of existing prolapses and the opportunity for additional prolapses to occur.

If you already have a pelvic organ prolapse, or you are at an increased risk of developing a pelvic organ prolapse, then you may not be clear on which exercises you can undertake. This guide gives advice to help keep...

The word prolapse means “to fall out of place" and is used to describe the action of an organ drooping or sagging and slipping out of its natural place. A pelvic organ prolapse can affect any organ within the pelvic area. In women this includes the uterus, vagina, small bowel, rectum, bladder and urethra.

There are four main stages of a pelvic organ prolapse, as graded using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System (POP-Q). These start from a minor movement of the organ, to a complete prolapse where the organ is permanently protruding from the body. Your prolapse can get worse throughout the day or after you have been on your feet after a long time. This will be taken into consideration by your doctor as they grade your prolapse.

Any pelvic organ can prolapse, usually into the vagina (if the vagina prolapses in on itself, it's usually as a result of another organ prolapsing first and taking the vagina with it). This is why a pelvic organ prolapse is often also referred...