So lets speak about POP, or Pelvic Organ Prolapse. A colleague of mine thought I was having a wind up when I was explaining this to them, but sadly its a very real thing. It is estimated to effect 40-50% of women to some degree in the post partum period and can also effect women that are menopausal and that have had hysterectomies.
So what is it... In short it's when one or more of the pelvic organs moves out of position and pushes into the vagina wall. The muscles, ligaments and other tissues become weak and stretch and as a result the pelvic organs are no longer held in their normal position within the pelvis.
What should I look out for: Pelvic heaviness increased towards the end of the day. Visible bulge. Sensation of bulge on the inside. Difficulty emptying the bladder or bowel. Ache or dragging sensation in lower back and/or lower abdomen
Symptoms increased with straining, heavy lifting, prolonged standing or high impact exercises. Symptoms relieved with rest.
So what can I do.... Firstly get yourself checked. See your doctor or a women's health physio to diagnose. Once you know whats going on, you can work to correct the situation. Smaller grade prolapses can generally be correct with specific Pelvic Floor Muscle therapy (oooooo that's what I do!) which are various exercises to strengthen the muscles. If you have a higher grade, it might be a mixture of strengthening and possibly surgery.
Keep tuned, over the next couple weeks, I will explore what you can do in more depth....
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