KELSEYVILLE – Every day I see patients in my office who complain of “something falling from my vaginal area” or bulging and discomfort. The medical term for this condition is pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and it affects millions of women.

Many women are embarrassed to talk about this condition and do not seek help.

Symptoms of prolapse vary but may include:

• Pressure or discomfort in the vaginal area;

• A sensation of sitting on a ball;

• Feeling or seeing a bulge or ball-like structure protruding from the vaginal area;

• Difficulty urinating;

• Having to strain for bowel movements;

• Worsening discomfort at the end of the day or after long periods of standing;

• Urinary incontinence especially with coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercising.

Weakening of the pelvic floor causes prolapse. There are many causes for this including childbirth, prolonged heavy lifting, hysterectomy, chronic lung conditions such as asthma or emphysema and being overweight. The prolapse often gets worse after menopause.

There are medical and surgical treatment options available for this condition. Non-surgical treatment methods include lifestyle changes, a vaginal pessary and exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles. There are physical therapists who have special training in this area and women with mild to moderate prolapse often have significant improvement in their symptoms.

There are no medications to treat vaginal prolapse. There are also new minimally invasive surgical procedures available for women who have prolapse that does not improve with conservative treatment or whose prolapse is severe.

I have been performing surgery for prolapse and urinary incontinence for over 20 years and I am amazed at how much better and less invasive the surgical treatments have become.

Prolapse repair surgery returns organs to a more normal anatomical position. Because the surgery is less invasive I can also offer these procedures to women who are older or have medical problems that put them at risk for more major operations.

Many surgeons now use mesh in the surgical correction of prolapse. These mesh repairs can be done with smaller incisions and can reduce the risk of recurrence.

The benefits of minimally invasive surgery are:

• Less pain post operatively;

• Faster recovery than traditional open abdominal prolapse surgery options;

• Shorter hospital stay (often less than 24 hours);

• Quicker return to normal activities including work.

One female patient noted, “I feel 100-percent better since my surgery. Dr. Dhanda is a great surgeon.”

If you suffer from pelvic organ prolapse or urinary incontinence you are not alone. Do not be embarrassed to talk to your doctor and ask for help. Take control of your health.

For more information visit www.drspecialtycare.com .

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Written by: Dr. Paula Dhanda

Published: 08 February 2010