Heights OBGYN

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse causes urinary incontinence and other problems

Do you leak urine or suffer from other symptoms of urinary incontinence? Do you feel pain and pressure in your pelvic area? Pelvic organ prolapse, or POP, causes these kinds of symptoms. Your pelvic organs include your vagina, uterus, bladder and rectum. When the muscles and ligaments that support the pelvic floor and your pelvic organs get weak, those organs can sag or start to bulge, sometimes onto other organs or even outside your body. Our San Antonio OBGYNs skillfully and compassionately diagnose and treat POP issues.

What causes POP?

You may not have heard of pelvic organ prolapse because many women are embarrassed to talk about it. However, it’s a fairly common problem, especially as women age.

As women get older and go through menopause, their estrogen levels decrease, weakening the pelvic floor. About 25% of women in their 40s deal with the problem, while about 50% in their 80s have POP.

In addition to hormonal changes, pregnancy and vaginal childbirth are the main causes of pelvic support problems. Here are other things that cause the condition.

  • Being obese or overweight
  • Things that create straining and pressure in the abdomen, such as chronic coughs or chronic constipation
  • Repeatedly lifting heavy objects

Pelvic organ prolapse symptoms can include urinary incontinence and other issues

If you feel like something is bulging outside your vagina, you may have pelvic organ prolapse. There are other symptoms that can signal problems.

  • A feeling of pressure or fullness in your pelvis or vagina
  • Pelvic pain
  • Pressure during sexual intercourse
  • Urinary incontinence symptoms, including leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, exercise, lift things or laugh; or feeling the sudden urge to go
  • Changes in your bowel habits, such as constipation or the inability to make it to the bathroom on time

It is harmful to ignore your symptoms because POP can cause complications, including kidney damage, urinary tract or kidney infections, depression, or relationship issues. If you have POP but don’t have symptoms, our San Antonio OBGYNs may take a “watch and wait” approach. If you have issues that are affecting your life, our physicians can perform additional tests to determine whether you have POP.

Our San Antonio OBGYNs offer a variety of treatment options for POP

If our physicians diagnose pelvic organ support problems, they will make a treatment plan that addresses your individual POP symptoms and severity. Here are a few of the treatments available.

  • Nonsurgical treatments. Lifestyle changes can help alleviate your symptoms. You may need a vaginal pessary, which is a silicone device you insert into your vagina. Pelvic floor physical therapy is also helpful for many women.
  • Surgical treatment. There are different surgeries that can help reconstruct or repair your pelvic floor. Our surgeons can explain your options.

Let’s talk about pelvic support problems. It’s a problem we can solve, so you can get back to enjoying your life. Contact us for an appointment to get evaluated for urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.