Can pelvic health physiotherapy help with pelvic organ prolapse?

pelvic health physiotherapy

Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) is a gynecological condition that affects mainly multiparous women and postmenopausal women over 50. It is not life threatening but can cause significant pain and discomfort, incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Despite being an extremely common gynecological problem, it is often neglected. Physiotherapy can help ease the symptoms and improve quality of life but it cannot return a prolapse to its original position.

Physiotherapy for POP aims to increase the support of the bladder, rectum and uterus, reduce pressure in the pelvic floor and vaginal walls, and help decrease pain, urinary frequency and urgency, and bowel related problems like incomplete defecation or constipation. It may also help with sexual dysfunction and sex changes such as decreased sensation or pain during intercourse or anal penetration.

The physiotherapist will assess the situation using a detailed history, a physical examination and a review on a monthly basis. They will then tailor therapy to suit your specific needs. This might include a combination of treatments including manual therapy and/or exercise, focusing on treating the tight muscles first and then relaxing the weak ones. Exercises might involve Kegel exercises, pelvic floor muscle training or stretching techniques. In some cases the physiotherapist may use a small tool called a ‘vaginal dilator’ to increase sphincter tone and help with sex intercourse and anal penetration.

Can pelvic health physiotherapy help with pelvic organ prolapse?

During treatment the therapist will teach patients how to prevent and manage their symptoms in order to reduce the need for treatment and surgery. This might include education around fluid intake, toilet habits, positioning and exercise. Pelvic floor muscle training and functional movement training can increase participation in daily activities, sport and work, while strengthening the weak muscles can make a huge difference to prolapse prevention.

Education is key to helping patients understand that whilst physiotherapy can help, they are not able to fix the prolapse itself and some factors are out of their control, such as ageing, childbirth and weight. It is important to have a GP referral for Pelvic Health Physiotherapy East Sheen before starting treatment. If you have symptoms such as a bulging sensation in your stomach or lower abdomen, blood in urine, painful urination, or bleeding after sex you should visit your GP who will decide if referral is appropriate.

It is best to see a physiotherapist who specialises in Continence and Women’s Health (not all Physiotherapists are titled as this). They are a good choice because they are highly trained and have extensive experience in treating these conditions. It is also a good idea to check that they have a full GP scope of practice and can perform internal vaginal examinations. In Australia, a physiotherapist whose title is Continence and Women’s Health has completed a series of specialist courses which are required to be able to treat these conditions.