Table of contents:
- Causes of descent (uterine prolapse)
- Symptomatic severity of uterine prolapse
- Signs or symptoms of descent (uterine prolapse)
- How to treat descent (uterine prolapse)?
The uterus should be normally positioned just above the vagina, hanging inside the pelvic cavity. When the uterus drops drooping into the vagina, this condition is known as descending peranakan alias uterine prolapse. What caused this to happen?
Causes of descent (uterine prolapse)
Dropping of the cross is caused by the pelvic muscles weakening to hold the uterus in position. This muscle weakness is generally influenced by age. As you age, a woman's risk of developing uterine prolapse increases - especially during menopause. The natural aging process also causes the production of the hormone estrogen to decrease. This estrogen hormone helps to keep the pelvic muscles strong.
Apart from the "U" factor, pregnancy and childbirth can also be risk factors for uterine prolapse. The more often you get pregnant, the more prone you are to cross-breed due to muscle and pelvic tissue damage from pregnancy and childbirth. Delivering large babies, prolonged labor, and straining (cool) excess during childbirth can also increase your risk for this condition.
Other factors that can increase your risk of having this condition include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Chronic cough
- Chronic constipation
- The presence of a tumor in the stomach which then presses the uterus down
- Conditions that cause increased pressure in the abdomen such as tumors in the pelvis (rare), or fluid buildup in the abdomen
- Previous pelvic surgery history
- Any physical activity that puts pressure on your pelvic muscles can increase your risk of developing a descent
Some conditions that can weaken the pelvic muscles include:
- Cystocele is the lowering of the bladder towards the vagina, causing the vaginal opening to appear protruding. This condition can make it difficult for women to hold urine, urinate frequently or urinate in the bladder.
- Enterocele is decrease in part of the small intestine area so that it presses on the vagina and forms a bulge that leads to the outside of the vagina. You can experience back pain when you stand up if you have enteroceles. However, the pain goes away when you lie down.
- Rectocele is protrusion into the back-lower vaginal opening due to a herniated rectum. This can cause difficulty with bowel movements.
Symptomatic severity of uterine prolapse
There are several degrees of severity of descent. The first stage begins with the cervix, which descends into the vagina. The second level, the cervix descends to the limit of the vaginal opening. The third level, the cervix comes out of the vagina. At the heaviest level, the entire uterus comes out of the vaginal opening. This condition is also called procidentia .
Signs or symptoms of descent (uterine prolapse)
Mild descending conditions usually cause no symptoms or complaints. However, in severe conditions some of the symptoms that may arise include:
- Feel like you are sitting on a ball
- Vaginal bleeding
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Pelvic pain
- Difficulty urinating
- Difficulty moving the stomach
- Feeling uncomfortable when walking
- Feel like something is coming out of the vagina
If you experience these symptoms, it's important to see your doctor and get treatment right away. Without proper attention, this condition can interfere with your bowel, bladder, and sexual function.
How to treat descent (uterine prolapse)?
The treatment given depends on the severity of your uterus. If the condition is mild, you may not need treatment. However, if the condition makes you uncomfortable or even severe, there are several treatment procedures that you can choose from. Treatment procedures can be surgically removed and without surgery.
Medicinal or non-surgical treatment procedures can be performed in the following ways.
- Weight loss
- Do Kegel exercises, which are pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the vaginal muscles
- Esterogen replacement therapy
- The use of a pessary, which is a device to help push up on the uterus and keep it more stable
Surgical treatment procedures include:
- Uterine suspension, namely placing the uterus back into position by reconnecting the pelvic ligaments or using other materials.
- Hysterectomy, which is the removal of the uterus from the body. This action can be done through the vagina or stomach.
Although these surgeries are often effective in treating descending crosses, it is advisable not to undergo the procedure surgically if you are planning to have more children. Pregnancy and childbirth can cause tremendous pelvic muscle tension, which can interfere with uterine repair.
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