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Pelvic Organ Prolapse

When your pelvic floor lacks the strength to fully support your vagina, uterus, bladder, and rectum, one or more of these organs can drop lower in the pelvis or “prolapse.” You may feel a bulge or heaviness in your vagina or worry that something is about to fall out. Don’t worry — PT is proven to help. Let’s restore that pelvic floor!

At Origin, we’ve helped hundreds of patients manage and treat prolapse. Get treatment virtually, right from home, or see a PT in our clinics.

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What Causes Pelvic Organ Prolapse

With pregnancy, your pelvic floor supports a baby for months. Add the strain of childbirth and it can become weak. With menopause, hormonal changes weaken muscles, including the pelvic floor. Other causes of prolapse include chronic constipation or coughing, repetitive heavy lifting or intense exercise, and nerve or muscle disease.

Work 1:1 with a Physical Therapist

Partner with your PT to create a personalized treatment plan to strengthen your pelvic floor. Your plan may include:

Techniques to reduce pressure
Coordination & strengthening exercises
Manual therapy for your pelvic floor

Guidance on using vaginal weights or a referral for a pessary.

Power Up Your Pelvic Floor

Physical therapy for 12–16 weeks can reliably reduce prolapse symptoms such as heaviness, bulging, and discomfort. Some women also see a measurable improvement in the position of the prolapse — meaning the tissue moves back closer to where it should be.

While results vary from person to person, many women notice symptom relief even sooner. Working with a pelvic floor physical therapist can help ensure you're doing the exercises correctly and getting the most benefit.

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Common & Treatable

Prolapse is a common pelvic floor disorder and risk goes up with vaginal delivery, number of deliveries, and age. Physical therapy has been found to improve prolapse, without surgery.

"It feels like my vagina is falling out."

"It feels like a tampon is stuck in there."

"I noticed a bulge in my vagina."

Sources: Vergeldt TF, et al. Risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse and its recurrence: a systematic review. Int Urogynecol J. 2015; Hagen S, et al. Individualised pelvic floor muscle training in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POPPY): a multicentre randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. 2014.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse FAQs

What are the symptoms of prolapse?

You may experience feelings of heaviness or pressure in the vagina, or it may feel as if something is in your vagina, or that your vagina is "falling out." Symptoms are typically worse at the end of the day or with prolonged activity. You may also notice changes in your symptoms during your menstrual cycle.

What are the stages of prolapse?

Stages refer to how low an organ like the uterus, bladder or rectum, has dropped from its proper position. Stage 1 is when the organ has dropped into the upper half of the vagina. Stage 2 is when the organ leans toward the opening of the vagina. In stage 3, the organ is protruding out of the vagina. Stage 4, the uterus has come out of the vagina.

Who experiences prolapse?

Prolapse most commonly impacts those who have had a vaginal birth, a pelvic surgery or are going through menopause. People may also be at greater risk of developing prolapse if they have a family history of prolapse, if they have a condition that causes chronic coughing, or if they strain with chronic constipation or regular heavy lifting.

How long will it take to improve prolapse?

Depending on the severity of your prolapse, working with a physical therapist who specializes in the pelvic floor can lead to improved function and reduced symptoms within a few months. In other situations, use of a pessary may also be helpful in addressing symptoms. For the right candidate, surgery may be an appropriate option for care.

What is a pessary and how does it help with prolapse?

A pessary is a ring or cube made of medical grade silicone that’s inserted into the vagina to provide support to the vaginal canal. This support can reduce or eliminate prolapse symptoms. A pessary requires fitting to find the right size for you and once in place it should not be bothersome or fall out with bearing down.

What are vaginal weights?

Vaginal weights come in various shapes and sizes but all are developed to fit comfortably within your vagina. Once inserted, your pelvic floor muscles must contract to prevent it from falling out. While not required to build strength, they can be a helpful tool to measure progress as you gradually increase the weight your muscles can support.

Is pelvic organ prolapse preventable?

Some level of prolapse is a normal and expected part of aging, just as our breasts begin to rest a little lower, so do our pelvic organs. But experiencing symptoms from a prolapse is potentially preventable. Working with a pelvic floor physical therapist to maintain strength in your pelvic floor can actually reduce a prolapse's severity and symptoms.

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