Help & Advice
All men know that they have a prostate, but most men don’t know what it is or what it does until there’s a problem with it.
The prostate is a gland that only men have. It wraps around the urethra, and is situated between the bladder and the penis. It’s not essential for life, but it’s important for reproduction. It produces a liquid which mixes with sperm and makes them more mobile, and it helps them reach the egg too.
Unless you’re having prostate problems you’ll never realise it’s there. An enlarged prostate can make going to the toilet difficult; there’s a condition called prostatitis whereby it can become inflamed and very painful, and then there’s cancer of the prostate too.
Any changes, just see your doctor – don’t be embarrassed, they’re there to help and have seen it all before (and much worse, trust me).
Kegel exercises can help maintain prostate health. When you contract and relax the male pelvic floor it massages the prostate, which can help to...
Since the Mesh Surgery Scandal (the most popular operation for prolapse) more and more women are looking into the management of pelvic organ prolapse and how to fix prolapse without surgery. Many women grow to understand that managing and living with prolapse is not a death sentence, irrespective of how utterly devastating the initial diagnosis is. Women are using the emotional pain and agony of prolapse as a springboard to getting a stronger pelvic floor and more importantly to prevent further prolapse too.
Rectal Prolapse and Rectocele - What's the difference?
- Rectal prolapse is where the walls of the rectum protrude through the anus
- Rectocele is where the rectum protrudes into the vagina.
Rectal Prolapse
A Rectal prolapse occurs when the connective tissues within the rectal mucosa loosen and stretch, allowing the tissue to protrude through the anus. As the rectum becomes more prolapsed, ligaments and muscles may weaken until the rectum protrudes out of the body through the anus. This stage is called complete prolapse, or full-thickness rectal prolapse. Initially, the rectum may protrude and retract depending on the person's movements and activities; if the condition remains untreated it may protrude permanently.
Did you know? Women, men and children can suffer rectal prolapse.
What causes Rectal Prolapse?
- Straining because of constipation.
- Tissue damage...
What should I look for?
There are several types of grading systems that Doctors use to describe the severity of prolapse, 1 (first-degree) being the mildest and 4 (fourth-degree) being the most severe.
The following are stages of vaginal prolapse to look out for:
- Stage 1 (or first-degree) prolapse:
- A woman may not even know she has it, quite often this is discovered during a routine pelvic floor exam.
- Second-degree prolapse:
- There will be symptoms such as heaviness, dragging feeling or painful intercourse.
- Third-degree prolapse (also known as procidentia):
- Physical characteristics will be felt as well as seen, sometimes a lump will be felt inside the vagina.
- Forth-degree prolapse:
- This stage will be visible, extremely uncomfortable and protruding...
Uterine or Womb Prolapse
The uterus or womb is held in place with various muscles, tissue, and ligaments. Sometimes these muscles weaken and the uterus can collapse into the vaginal canal, causing a prolapsed uterus.
If you have a uterine prolapse, your other pelvic organs are at a higher risk of prolapsing too – you must strengthen your weak pelvic floor muscles, to prevent multiple prolapses.
Healthy Pelvic Floor
Womb/Uterine Prolapse Phase 1
Womb/Uterine Prolapse Phase 2
...Vaginal Prolapse and Vaginal Vault Prolapse
Muscles, ligaments and skin in and around the vagina support and hold pelvic organs and tissues in place. This complex network includes the skin and muscles of the vagina walls. Parts of this support system may eventually weaken or break causing a vaginal prolapse. A vaginal prolapse is a condition when organs such as the uterus, rectum, bladder, urethra, small bowel, or the vagina itself may begin to prolapse, or fall out of their normal positions.
There are many types of vaginal prolapse:
- Cystocele (bladder prolapse)
- The bladder may prolapse into the vagina; the urethra can prolapse as well. A urethral prolapse is also known as an urethrocele. When both the bladder and urethra prolapse together this is a cystourethrocele.
- Rectocele (rectal prolapse)
- A prolapse of the back wall of the vagina (rectovaginal fascia) the rectal wall pushes...
Womb or Uterine Prolapse
Muscles, ligaments, and other structures hold the womb (uterus) in the pelvis. If these muscles and structures are weak, the womb can drop into the vaginal canal. This is called prolapse or uterine prolapse.
Healthy Pelvic Floor
Womb/Uterine Prolapse Phase 1
Womb/Uterine Prolapse Phase 2
...The Kegel8 mission is to spread the word among all women and raise awareness of the importance of the pelvic floor, how and why it can fail you, and most importantly what you need to do to take care of it.
All of our advisors are Kegel8 users and understand the different ways in which pelvic floor weakness can affect every aspect of a woman’s life.
We are here to help - whether you want to discuss your symptoms, get advice on which Kegel8 is right for you or want to find out the best way to use your Kegel8 to suit your needs once it arrives. Just give us a call.
Our advisors treat every call as an individual case which means you can be sure you’re getting the best advice and service personalised to your needs.
For many women our helpline is the first time they openly discuss their condition, even before telling their friends, husband or partner and that’s because we understand...
This collection of Kegel8 frequently asked questions (FAQs) provides brief answers to many common queries. If your query isn't here, please use the search box at the top right hand side of this page to search for topics in our Support section. alternatively please e-mail or telephone us – we are always happy to help you.
If you are having problems with your Kegel8, you have come to the right place. Here you will find a collection of some of the most common issues you may be having with your Kegel8 pelvic toner and we hope that this will help. However, if you cannot find the answer to your question here, please do not hesitate to contact us – we are here to help.
The vaginal probe needs to be inserted just 2 inches (5.5 cm) this is the optimum level to stimulate your pelvic floor muscle. Make sure the electrodes (that's the metal bit) are facing hip to hip. You might find it helpful to wear a pair of tight pants such as Sloggies or even tight trousers. Keep the probe in place at all times or the machine will cut out and fail to increase the mA's (intensity).
Your Kegel8 Biofeedback Pelvic Trainer is a CE approved, Grade 1 medical device. It's programmes are clinically proven, and over time, can help you take control and get strong and healthy from the inside out.
We know most women are desperate to see signs of improvement, but please follow this guide carefully. To get the best results it is important that the programme plan is followed.
- Getting Started With the Kegel8 Biofeedback Pelvic Trainer
- Getting Started With a Probe
- What are the Different Exercise Modes?
- What is the Squeeze Scale?
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