Understanding Your Treatment Options for Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the muscles and tissues supporting your pelvic organs weaken due to aging, pregnancy, or childbirth. This causes them to shift downward into your vaginal canal. 

If you’re experiencing discomfort, pressure, or urinary issues like incontinence, you’re not alone. As many as 50% of women experience some degree of prolapse during  their lives.

The good news? Our board-certified urologists at Bellingham Urology Group offer several different treatments for pelvic organ prolapse. We’ll recommend the right one for you based on your symptoms and their severity and which pelvic organ is prolapsed.

In the meantime, let’s review the treatment options available. 

Pelvic floor exercises

If your prolapse is mild, you may benefit from pelvic floor exercises. The providers at Bellingham Urology Group can recommend exercises, like Kegels, that target these muscles and improve their function over time.

To do a Kegel exercise, tighten the muscles you would use to stop urine flow, hold for about 3–5 seconds, then relax for 3-5 seconds. Repeat this process 10–15 times per session.

Tip: When tightening your pelvic floor muscles, don’t tense your abdomen, thighs, or buttocks.

Hormone therapy

Hormonal fluctuations during menopause can weaken your vaginal tissues and increase your risk for prolapse. You might also notice symptoms like vaginal dryness and vaginal atrophy. 

If your urinary symptoms are related to menopause, our team may recommend estrogen replacement therapy. This therapy, which balances your hormones, is available in many forms, including creams, tablets, and pellets.

Pessary

About 50-60% of women with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse choose a pessary over surgery. It’s a safe, non-surgical option that can provide immediate relief without downtime or recovery.

A pessary is a removable device inserted into the vagina to support your pelvic organs and relieve symptoms like urinary incontinence. 

There are several types of pessaries, with the ring pessary and gellhorn pessary being the most common. You don’t have to determine the right one on your own — your Bellingham Urology Group provider will guide you through an in-office fitting.

Surgery

If other treatments don’t provide enough relief, surgical mesh placement may be the best option. This procedure reinforces weakened pelvic muscles and keeps your organs in place.

During mesh placement surgery, your Bellingham Urology Group provider uses synthetic mesh to reinforce your vaginal walls and help keep the pelvic organs in their proper position. Because the mesh holds your organs up, you get a reprieve from symptoms like incontinence, pelvic pain, and frequent urinary tract infections.

How do you know if you need to treat pelvic organ prolapse?

You might suspect that you’re dealing with pelvic organ prolapse if you have:

• Urinary and/or fecal incontinence
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during intercourse
• Difficulty inserting tampons
• Frequent urinary tract infections 

You don’t have to wait for your symptoms to get worse before you consider treatment. In fact, addressing pelvic organ prolapse early on can help slow its progression. Plus, some of these symptoms may be related to other conditions, so it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis.

Our team can diagnose pelvic organ prolapse through a pelvic exam and a review of your symptoms. We may also order tests like a pelvic floor strength test or a bladder function test. In some cases, we may also order an imaging study, like an ultrasound.

Once we determine the extent of your prolapse, we review your treatment options and recommend the one that’s best for you.

Find the right treatment for you

You don’t have to live with the discomfort of pelvic organ prolapse. Whether you need simple exercises, hormone therapy, a pessary, or surgery, Bellingham Urology Group is here to help. Schedule a consultation today by calling or messaging us to explore the best treatment option for your needs. We have offices in Mount Vernon and Bellingham, Washington.