Login
Register

Home

About Us

Diagnoses

Treatments

Classes

Resources

Media

Testimonials

Blog

Account

Blog
Register
treating pelvic organ prolapse with pelvic floor therapy

What Are the Benefits of Treating Pelvic Organ Prolapse with Pelvic Floor Therapy?

Read on to find out.

It’s Pelvic Organ Prolapse Awarenesss Month. Today we talk about something that’s often not talked about and lay out ways prolapse can be avoided and treated with proper pelvic floor physical therapy.

What Is Pelvic Organ Prolapse?

"Prolapse" refers to a descending or drooping of organs. Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) refers to the prolapse or drooping of any of the pelvic floor organs, including: the bladder, uterus, vagina, small bowel, or rectum. These organs are said to prolapse if they descend into or outside of the vaginal canal or anus.

Prolapse is sometimes given these specific names to describe which organ is descending:

Cystocele: The bladder falls backward into the front (anterior) vaginal wall
Urethrocele: A prolapse of the urethra (the tube that carries urine) into the vaginal wall
Uterine prolapse: prolapse of the uterus
Vaginal vault prolapse: prolapse of the vagina
Enterocele: Small bowel prolapse
Rectocele: the rectum falls forward into the back (or posterior) vaginal wall.

To learn more on each type, go to Voices for PFD.

How do I know I have a Prolapse?

Symptoms depend somewhat on which organ is in descent. If the bladder prolapses, urine leakage may occur. If it's the rectum, constipation and uncomfortable intercourse often occur. A backache as well as uncomfortable intercourse often accompanies small intestine prolapse. Uterine prolapse is also accompanied by backache and pain or discomfort with intercourse.

Some people will feel nothing at all and can live with prolapse without affecting it function.

Common symptoms include:

  • A feeling of “something falling out” of the vagina or rectal area
  • A “bulge,” a “ball,” or “pressure” in the pelvic area, usually in the vaginal or rectal area.
  • Low back pain
  • Heaviness in the pelvic area
  • Pain with sex
  • Strong urge to urinate
  • Leaking urine
  • Gas incontinence or air escaping from the vagina
  • Constipation
  • Staining of feces on underwear
  • Spotting or bleeding from the vagina
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Inability to orgasm or reduced intensity/frequency of orgasm
  • Pain with Kegel exercise
  • Sacral pain

What Causes Pelvic Organ Prolapse?

Prolapse occurs when pressure in the abdomen is greater than the strength of the pelvic floor and deep core muscles that help keep organs in their place.

Common causes and risk factors include:

  • Pregnancy, labor, and childbirth (the most common causes)
  • Assistive birth: forceps, vacuum or a combination
  • Diastasis Recti Abdominus (DRA or Diastasis Recti) separation and weak core
  • Obesity
  • Respiratory problems with a chronic, long-term cough
  • Chronic constipation
  • Poor posture
  • Pelvic organ cancers
  • Abdominal surgeries
  • Hysterectomies
  • Connective tissue disorders
  • Genetics may also play a role in prolapse
  • Heavy lifting and manual labor over time
  • High impact sports over time

Treating Pelvic Organ Prolapse with Pelvic Floor Therapy

The therapists at Femina Physical Therapy can help with pelvic organ prolapse!

Some interventions might include:

  • Posture and body mechanics training
  • Diastasis recti recovery
    • A trained physical therapist will provide you with corrective exercises to help stabilize your core and to help the abdominal separation to come back together partially or completely. They will also evaluate you to be sure your muscles are creating enough tension across the midline of your body.
  • Regain core control
    • A functional core is essential to keep your organs in their places. A functional core will also help with essential functions like: walking, bending, lifting, running, even sitting with good body mechanics. Physical therapy can help you regain strength and support through your core muscles to help you get back to the activities you want to do.
  • Breath Control and Proper Body Mechanics
    • Therapy can help you learn invaluable lessons about how you should move to protect your organs and to keep them in the body.
  • Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Contact a Pelvic Floor Therapist

The physical therapists at Femina Physical Therapy can help with pelvic organ prolapse! Get scheduled for an appointment with one of our trained pelvic floor therapists to help return strength, function, and flexibility to the pelvic floor to help you regain support for your organs.

 

**This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor.

What Our Patients Have to Say

Prev
Next

Testimonial by A.B.

Before I was referred to Heather Jeffcoat I was living in a nightmare. I had been married to my husband for three years and I was suffering from Vaginismus. That all changed when I visited my OBGYN and she said she knew of someone with a great success rate. To be honest I was hesitant at first because my first doctor had already told me that all I needed to do was order dilators from the internet and I should overcome my problem. She was wrong because I had followed the book on how to use the dilators with absolutely no advancements in my condition. However, that all changed when I went in for my first visit and Heather took the time to explain my condition and how we were going to work together to overcome it.

I remember leaving her office with a glimmer of hope that I could live a normal life. As my sessions continued I began to see immediate results. With only four sessions and a strict dedication to my home programs I was cured of Vaginismus. In the beginning of this process I was made aware that my health insurance company might not cover the costs, which was disappointing but today I can say one hundred percent that it was the best money I ever spent. Now thanks to Heather I am finally enjoying my life to the fullest with my husband. Thank you Heather, I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate all that you have done for me. I will never forget it. Those who are suffering from these types of conditions don’t be afraid because she makes you feel so comfortable and the end result is worth it. Good luck to you all and I hope you experience the success I have.
-- A.B.

Testimonial by Jackie W.

I was in multiple car accidents a decade ago, and I have been to many physical therapists through the years without success. They found the root of my lower back pain problems and after nearly a decade of barely being able to walk I finally can again without pain. They are also the best pelvic floor pts and the only ones who found the connection between my pelvic floor and lower back problems. If you need help with physical pain, they are your answer.

-- Jackie W., 1/19/17 via Yelp!

Testimonial by R.D., age 38

"I had a severe tear during childbirth that was not stitched together correctly and therefore healed poorly. Even after having a surgery a year later to remove the scar tissue, I was still having pain, and no one could explain why -- there was no overt 'reason' to explain the pain. I had tried other 'specialists' and even saw another physical therapist who had me do hip / leg stretches -- what a joke! I was about to give up and just 'live with it' until thankfully I kept searching online and found Heather.

Read more: Testimonial by R.D., age 38

Testimonial by R.M., Age 40

I can’t speak highly enough of the theapists at Femina Physical Therapy and how much they have helped me grow, discover, and love my body. I had had painful sex for my entire life, and didn’t know that there was anything that could be done about it. It was at the point where my husband and I were not having sex for MONTHs, because it was just too frustrating, and I hated feeling like I was the ONLY woman out there who had this problem, especially at my age. I finally brought it up to my doctor because I was turning 40 and my husband and I were barely having enough sex to conceive. And she brought up pelvic floor, PT. I didn’t even know this was a “thing”.

Read more: Testimonial by R.M., Age 40

Testimonial by A.B.

Before I was referred to Heather Jeffcoat I was living in a nightmare. I had been married to my husband for three years and I was suffering from Vaginismus. That all changed when I visited my OBGYN and she said she knew of someone with a great success rate. To be honest I was hesitant at first because my first doctor had already told me that all I needed to do was order dilators from the internet and I should overcome my problem. She was wrong because I had followed the book on how to use the dilators with absolutely no advancements in my condition. However, that all changed when I went in for my first visit and Heather took the time to explain my condition and how we were going to work together to overcome it.

I remember leaving her office with a glimmer of hope that I could live a normal life. As my sessions continued I began to see immediate results. With only four sessions and a strict dedication to my home programs I was cured of Vaginismus. In the beginning of this process I was made aware that my health insurance company might not cover the costs, which was disappointing but today I can say one hundred percent that it was the best money I ever spent. Now thanks to Heather I am finally enjoying my life to the fullest with my husband. Thank you Heather, I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate all that you have done for me. I will never forget it. Those who are suffering from these types of conditions don’t be afraid because she makes you feel so comfortable and the end result is worth it. Good luck to you all and I hope you experience the success I have.
-- A.B.

Testimonial by P.M.

I was hopeful but frankly skeptical when the doctor treating me for Interstitial Cystitis recommended that I go to Heather for physical therapy. Medication and diet helped control my IC symptoms, but I had never heard of physical therapy being used to treat IC. The education and treatment I received from Heather was a revelation. She explained that the pain I experienced with IC had helped create a cycle of muscle guarding which affected the entire pelvic area. I had no idea of the amount of tension being held there. No wonder my husband and I had not been able to have sexual intercourse for years!

Read more: Testimonial by P.M.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get access to our free downloads and a 15% discount on Heather's book "Sex Without Pain"!
captcha 
I agree with the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy policy