Signs and Symptoms of Vaginal Prolapse

“I have pain when I stand a lot, and it feels like something is going to fall out of my vagina.”

Vaginal prolapse symptoms like this may not be easy to talk about with your friends, let alone your doctor. But it’s important to recognize them, and to tell your doctor. While there is no medication for vaginal prolapse, there are treatment options that can help correct the condition, and make life a lot more enjoyable.


	Signs and symptoms Specific prolapse symptoms Living with vaginal prolapse

Signs and symptoms of vaginal prolapse

While many women do not have pronounced symptoms that accompany vaginal prolapse, weakened supporting muscles can sometimes cause a noticeable bulge or lump in the vagina, as organs sag or protrude into the vaginal wall. This causes a sense of vaginal “heaviness.” Symptoms to watch for include:

A feeling of heaviness in the vaginal area
Something protruding from the vagina
A pulling or stretching feeling in the pelvic area
Pain when standing
Painful sexual intercourse
Vaginal pain, pressure, irritation, bleeding or spotting
Frequent lower back pain
Occasional loss of bladder or bowel control
Difficulty with bowel movements
Difficulty urinating, or delayed or slow urinary stream

Specific prolapse symptoms

Different types of vaginal prolapse may have specific symptoms, because weaknesses in certain support muscles affect different areas of the pelvis. It’s not uncommon for women to have more than one type of prolapse at the same time, so familiarize yourself with the various types of prolapse and the accompanying symptoms:

Healthy pelvic area before prolapse

Vaginal vault prolapse

Vaginal Vault
For women who have had a hysterectomy the normal support from the uterus is no longer in place and prolapse can occur when the top portion of the vagina descends down into the lower vagina.

Vaginal vault prolapse symptoms may include:

A feeling of pelvic “heaviness”
Vaginal bulging or vaginal sagging into the vaginal canal which may make standing and walking difficult
Difficulty with bowel movements and/or emptying bowels
Involuntary release of urine (incontinence)
Backache

Bladder prolapse (cystocele)

Bladder prolapse (cystocele) symptoms may include:

Difficulty emptying bladder
A feeling that your bladder is not emptying completely
Loss of bladder control (stress urinary incontinence)
Discomfort or pain in the pelvic area

Rectal prolapse (rectocele)

Rectal prolapse (rectocele) symptoms may include:

Painful bowel movements
Fecal incontinence (inability to control bowel movements)
A feeling that something is bulging near the rectal area when wiping

Uterine prolapse

Uterine prolapse symptoms may include:

Difficulty with bowel movements and emptying bowels
Difficulty urinating and emptying the bladder
Pain that gets worse after periods of standing
Difficulty walking
Painful sexual intercourse

Small bowel prolapse (enterocele)

Enterocele
Enterocele occurs when the intestine bulges into the vagina. Enterocele’s can occur from the front, back or top. This illustration shows an enterocele from the back.

Small bowel prolapse (enterocele) symptoms may include:

Difficulty with bowel movements and emptying bowels
Difficulty urinating and emptying bladder
Pain that gets worse after periods of standing

Living with Vaginal Prolapse is not the only option

One study found that 75% of patients thought their symptoms of vaginal prolapse had a moderate or severe impact on their quality of life–and yet 58% waited more than a year to talk with their doctor. Along with physically painful symptoms, living with vaginal prolapse can affect women's intimate relationships and their self-esteem.

Living day-to-day with discomfort and embarrassment about things like constipation and loss of bladder control can cause a lot of anxiety and inconvenience. The good news is, you do not have to live like this. There are a variety of treatment options that can alleviate the symptoms. Don't ignore your symptoms–talk with a specialist and restore your body.