The condition of uterine prolapse refers to the situation when the ligaments and muscles don’t offer enough support for the uterus, and so it descends getting to the vaginal canal. This is a problem that usually affects women who have gone through menopause and who had one or more vaginal births.
Information about the prolapse of the uterus
There are a lot of things that could weaken the support of the uterus during the years, such as pregnancy, childbirth, gravity, straining and decreased levels of estrogen. All these could lead to the abnormal positioning of the uterus. In case the prolapse is mild, usually there is no need for treatment.
Nonetheless if the prolapse of the uterus makes you feel uncomfortable or it prevents you from performing your daily activities then you should be searching for treatment options.
One of the options that you have is to have a supportive device that has to be inserted into your vagina or you could have surgery to repair the damage.
Symptoms of uterine prolapse
The severity of the condition could vary from one patient to the other. If it is mild it is possible not to experience any symptoms or signs. If you have severe or moderate prolapse, then most probably you will experience some symptoms.
If this is the case, then the symptoms of the prolapse of the uterus include a feeling of pulling or heaviness in the pelvic region, protruding tissue from the vagina, problems with urinating, such as retention or leakage, bowel movement problems or pain in the lower back.
Some other symptoms of uterine prolapse include the feeling like there is something falling out of the vagina, a feeling of looseness regarding the vaginal tissues, or other symptoms that don’t seem to be bothersome in the morning, but they get worse as the day goes by.
When to seek help?
The prolapse of the uterus doesn’t need medical attention unless it is severe. In case the symptoms are bothering you and they prevent you from performing your normal daily activities, then you should make an appointment with your doctor.
Causes of uterine prolapse
The main cause of the problem is pregnancy and the possible trauma that occurred during childbirth especially in case of large babies. This is why the muscle weakens and in the end it leads to the dislocation of the uterus. This is a problem that could also be associated with aging.
The lack of estrogen also has a word to say regarding the prolapse of the uterus that usually happens after the onset of menopause. Although it doesn’t happen often, the problem could also be the result of a cyst in the pelvic region.
Another thing that you should keep in mind is that the genetic structure of women could also cause uterine prolapse. Those women who have North European ancestors are more likely to be affected by the problem than those with African and Asian ancestors.
There are some risk factors that make the occurrence of the prolapse of the uterus even more likely. These include one pregnancy or more and vaginal birth, age, delivering a large baby, chronic coughing, heavy lifting, genetic predisposition, or frequent straining during the bowel movements.
There are some conditions that make uterine prolapse more likely to appear, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and chronic constipation. These put a strain on the muscles and the connective tissues in the pelvis speeding up the appearance of the problem.
Complications of the prolapse of the uterus
Ulcers
In the severe situations it is possible for a part of the lining of the vagina to get displaced by the uterus, and it could protrude outside of the body, rubbing against your underwear. Because of the friction you may be affected by sores. In rare situations these sores could get infected.
Other organs
When thinking about uterine prolapse, you should also think about the prolapse of some other organs as well. These organs include the rectum and the bladder. If the bladder collapses, it bulges into the vagina making it difficult to urinate and so the chances of being affected by urinary tract infections increases, meaning that you will have to be more careful.
