Bladder prolapse is a very common condition unique to women, with up to 30% of women who have had children developing some degree of prolapse.
Prolapse literally means “to fall out of place”.Normally the bladder is held in place by a group of muscles,tissues and ligaments situated in the pelvis, commonly referred to as the pelvic floor muscles.Stresses put on these pelvic muscles through childbirth can cause these pelvic muscles to weaken and deteriorate to a degree that they are no longer able to support the bladder.Enabling the bladder to “fall out of place”and descend into the vagina.
There are basically three degrees of prolapse
First degree prolapse- A small part of the bladder slips down into the vagina
Second degree prolapse- The bladder slips down enough to reach the opening of the vagina
Third degree- The bladder protrudes completely from the vagina.
Bladder Prolapse may cause
Discomfort or pain in the pelvis
Stress incontinence-urine leaking when coughing,laughing, sneezing,lifting
Causes and Treatment
The main cause of prolapse is childbirth,however normal ageing process can further weaken the pelvic floor muscles.being overweight, having a persistent cough may also cause damage to the pelvic floor muscles.
Mild cases of prolapse may be effectively treated by pelvic floor exercise to restore muscle tone or in some case lifestyle changes like weight loss to reduce the pressure placed upon the pelvic floor muscles.
For more severe cases surgery is an very effective treatment to secure the bladder back into the correct position by stitching or using a mesh to strengthen the pelvic floor weakness.
To find out more about Anterior and Posterior repair for pelvic organ prolapse
To find out more about the different types of pelvic organ prolapse