Pelvic organ prolapse, or prolapse, refers to the displacement of one or more pelvic organs into the vagina or anus. According to the French Health Insurance system, a woman has an 11% to 19% risk of having prolapse surgery during her lifetime. Even though many people are affected, they find it hard to talk about it. Yet natural treatments for pelvic organ prolapse do exist!
- Understand the anatomical mechanisms: explore the causes of pelvic floor weakness and weakening of the visceral support structures.
- Adopt lifestyle changes: put natural everyday solutions in place to reduce intra-abdominal pressure.
- Practice active pelvic floor rehabilitation: restore muscle tone at home thanks to connected tools like Emy Trainer
Effective natural treatments for early-stage pelvic organ prolapse
A vaginal prolapse can occur at several moments in a woman's life, at any age. After pregnancy, a difficult birth, a perineal tear, a hysterectomy, or the onset of menopause... A wide range of factors can explain the appearance of this condition.
However, there is often one thing in common: the involvement of the pelvic floor.
The link between the pelvic floor and pelvic organ prolapse
The pelvic floor muscles, or pelvic floor, are responsible for proper support of the internal organs (especially the digestive and reproductive organs, such as the uterus).
If these muscles are too loose, they can no longer support the organs properly. This is one of the main risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse.
The most common forms are cystocele (bladder prolapse) and rectocele (when the rectum descends).
Pelvic floor weakness can also cause other complications such as:
- leakage, or even urinary incontinence;
- a sensation of a vaginal bulge;
- pain during sex;
- a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen...
Train your pelvic floor to help combat pelvic organ prolapse
First, we recommend pelvi-perineal rehabilitation as the first-line treatment in cases of urinary leakage.
This solution is also very effective for early-stage or moderate prolapse (stages 1 and 2).
Likewise, in cases that may require surgery, regular pelvic floor rehabilitation sessions are essential. They can even postpone the operation for several years, or help you avoid it altogether.
Indeed, toning the pelvic floor muscles will strengthen your pelvic floor. Your organs will then have much better support.
In any case, first consult a healthcare professional, such as a gynaecologist or a midwife. The medical team will recommend pelvic floor training as a natural treatment depending on the stage of your discomfort.
Rehabilitation sessions with a professional
In practical terms, to treat this condition, the best approach is to start rehabilitation with a professional (a midwife or a specialist physiotherapist). This will help you really become aware of your pelvic floor and understand how it works.
For better awareness, you can even combine manual rehabilitation with the use of a vaginal device such as the Emy Trainer pelvic floor trainer
Also note that Social Security offers coverage under certain conditions. This depends on your situation and the pelvic floor rehabilitation methods you use.
Finally, these rehabilitation sessions will also be the perfect opportunity to ask all your questions. And above all, to learn how to contract your pelvic floor properly, with ease!
Strengthen your pelvic floor at home, independently
After that, you'll need to keep doing your pelvic floor rehabilitation exercises at home, on your own. To do this, follow the advice given by your healthcare professional.
And if you know your pelvic floor well enough to do without these supervised sessions, you can get started straight away on your own.
In both cases, manual rehabilitation can be done without any accessories. But many devices can also help you strengthen your pelvic floor. Among these easy-to-use home tools is the connected Emy pelvic floor trainer.
Its mobile app will guide you through your training sessions with visual or sound-based contraction exercises. You can also track your progress and set reminders so you remember to train.
It is also interesting to note that 2 out of 3 women who use Emy Trainer long-term for their pelvic floor rehabilitation reported a significant improvement in their prolapse-related symptoms (according to a survey conducted among users).
Learn more about the Emy trainer device
Stay consistent!
Finally, whichever method you choose, consistency is essential. It is the key to success for this natural treatment for pelvic organ prolapse.
You will only feel the long-term benefits by establishing a real routine of pelvic floor toning.
While brushing your teeth, waiting for the kids outside school, sitting in the car at a red light... Find the best moment for your manual rehabilitation. 5 minutes every evening on your sofa will already be effective. Over time, repeating the exercises will even become second nature!
Treat prolapse symptoms naturally with a healthier lifestyle
Next, taking care of your lifestyle is another natural way to combat pelvic organ prolapse. By acting on several causes at once, you improve the health of your pelvic floor.
What lifestyle changes help stabilise prolapse?
Making a lasting change to your lifestyle is an essential natural remedy overall for protecting your pelvic floor from everyday pressure. By adopting simple, physiologically appropriate habits, it is entirely possible to stabilise the progression of pelvic organ prolapse and relieve the pelvic area.
The importance of a healthy diet for bowel function
Fighting constipation is the top priority for preserving the muscles in the lower abdomen. Repeated straining blocks breathing and pushes the organs downward, tiring the supporting tissues.
Over time, this excessive pressure can cause pelvic floor muscle weakness. And thus lead to the onset or worsening of the symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse.
People often talk about the many benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The health of your pelvic floor is one of them. Plenty of reasons to take even better care of yourself every day!
Managing heavy lifting in everyday life
Lifting heavy objects incorrectly creates an immediate increase in intra-abdominal pressure that directly affects the cervix and bladder.
To limit heavy lifting that can cause strain, learn to adjust your posture:
- Bend your knees every time
- Keep your back straight
- Actively contract your pelvic floor just before starting the movement
Make sure you breathe out between each movement
Doing pelvic-friendly exercise
Stopping exercise altogether is a common mistake that weakens the whole abdominal core. You simply need to choose a gentle sport practice.
Activities involving repeated impacts on the ground (running, tennis, trampolining) or abdominal exercises such as crunches increase the risk of sagging.
Choose regular exercises of moderate intensity and low impact, such as swimming, cycling, Nordic walking or Pilates.
These disciplines help strengthen the transverse abdominis muscle (the deep core muscle), which acts like a natural support belt, protecting the contents of the abdomen without creating a downward vertical push.
Over time, this excessive pressure can cause pelvic floor muscle weakness. And thus lead to the onset or worsening of the symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse.
People often talk about the many benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The health of your pelvic floor is one of them. Plenty of reasons to take even better care of yourself every day!
Other natural remedies for treating genital prolapse
Finally, there are many other natural solutions for dealing with genital prolapse.
If the discomfort is mild or very short-lived, for example during exertion, you can in particular wear a pessary. Inserted into the vagina like a tampon, this small silicone ring helps support the internal organs. It therefore helps prevent urinary leakage.
But be careful: wearing a pessary is a symptom-relieving, not curative solution. This device has no impact on strengthening your pelvic floor.
The pessary is therefore useful in certain specific cases, for occasional use (during sport, for example). But it is not a long-term solution.
When natural treatments aren't enough to treat it...
Unfortunately, there are times when the pelvic organ prolapse is too advanced (stage 3 or 4) for a natural treatment to work. This is the case when the prolapse protrudes and becomes visible outside the vulva.
If no natural solution is enough, the last resort will therefore be surgery. In this situation, pelvic floor rehabilitation will also be very useful after surgery to restore the tone of the pelvic muscles.
What you need to know about treatments for pelvic organ prolapse
- Early treatment as a guarantee of effectiveness: acting as soon as you notice the first signs of heaviness (stages 1 and 2) helps restore the supporting function of the muscular hammock and avoid progression to a critical surgical stage.
- Adopting a protective everyday lifestyle: including a fibre-rich diet to overcome constipation and learning the right lifting posture permanently reduces mechanical pressure on the pelvis.
- Consistency as the key to success through the use of suitable tools: rebuilding the pelvic muscle fibres requires sustained and regular training over the long term, a routine made much simpler and more effective by the playful support of a biofeedback solution like the Emy Trainer pelvic floor trainer.
FAQ Pelvic Organ Prolapse: 5 key questions answered
What are the symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse?
The most common signs of prolapse are:
- A feeling of heaviness or weight in the lower abdomen;
- The feeling of having a "bulge" at the entrance to the vagina;
- Discomfort during sex or when going to the toilet.
What causes prolapse?
It is due to weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, which no longer properly support the pelvic organs. This phenomenon is mainly caused by childbirth, menopause, ageing, chronic constipation, or repeated heavy lifting.
Does pelvic organ prolapse hurt?
Yes, it can cause pulling sensations in the lower abdomen and, very often, back pain that gets worse over the course of the day (especially while standing) and eases when lying down.
Is a bulge at the anus an anal prolapse?
It can be. Anal prolapse refers to the descent of part of the rectum through the anus. Unlike haemorrhoids, it can cause leakage and difficulty holding in gas or stools. A medical consultation is needed to make an accurate diagnosis.
How can you reduce symptoms naturally?
To ease heaviness and stop prolapse from progressing, several actions are recommended:
- Change your habits: Avoid lifting heavy loads and pause high-impact sports (running, jumping).
- Relieve pressure: Address constipation and try hypopressive gymnastics or wearing a pessary.
- Work your pelvic floor: Do active strengthening to tone your support muscles.
To train effectively at home at your own pace, using the connected Emy Trainer device lets you do simple, fun, guided exercises.
Sources:
- Prospective evaluation of the connected biofeedback EMY Kegel trainer in the management of stress urinary incontinence, Jochum F et al., February 2022, Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction 51(2):102280. - link
- Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation Using Biofeedback, Diane Kaschak Newman, July 2014, Urologic Nursing 34(4):193-202. - link
- Genital Prolapse in Women – Therapeutic Management: Rationale, Anne-Cécile Pizzoferrato, Caroline Thuillier and Aurélien Venara, May 2021, Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) - link
