There are a number of ways to help reduce prolapse discomfort:
Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles
Exercises like Kegels will strengthen your pelvic floor and may help reduce your symptoms. Keep in mind that exercising won’t fix your prolapse, but exercising can build pelvic floor strength, possibly prevent your prolapse from getting worse and may even decrease your discomfort. Find a pelvic floor physiotherapist near you who can help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
Pessary
It’s kind of like a diaphragm. Generally it’s a ring (in some cases a cube) that is placed inside the vagina to hold up or hold back whatever is starting to sag: your uterus, bladder or rectum.
You’ll need to get fitted by your gynecologist or urogynecologist and it may take a few fittings to get it just right. And just like a diaphragm, you will need to take the pessary out regularly to wash it. Check out what pessaries look like.
Support garment
It’s kind of like getting a bra for your pelvic floor. Or imagine a garter belt on steroids – instead of holding up your stockings, the belt is holding up your pelvic floor. Check out some support garments for lots of pelvic floor support during your pregnancy and after delivery.
Surgery
OK, so it’s not a happy thought to have surgery “ down there ,” but these days, there are a variety of surgical options, some less invasive then others. And again, it all depends on what type of prolapse you have. In general, prolapse repair surgery can relieve the symptoms of the prolapse and many women move on to live happy, active lives. Keep in mind that surgery may not necessarily be the definite answer to your symptoms. Statistics show there is a 30% chance of your symptoms recurring following surgery. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of surgery or check out these websites to chat with other women who have had surgery:
www.pelvicfloor.com
http://groups.msn.com/ChoiceforProlapse
TIP: Keep in mind, pelvic floor surgery is a developing field in medicine. While it is exciting to benefit from new techniques, not all doctors may be up to speed on the latest information. Do your research and trust your intuition!
Tips for Surgery |