Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Are you experiencing a bulge inside your vagina?

If so, you may have pelvic organ prolapse. This occurs when there is a loss or weakening of normal support structures provided by the pelvic floor. If the muscles and connective tissues of the pelvic floor are damaged or stretched, the cervix, uterus, bladder, urethra, intestines or rectum can descend (fall downward). In extreme cases, these organs may protrude through the vaginal opening.

Types of prolapse include:

• Cystocele (bladder)

• Enterocele (small intestines)

• Rectocele (rectum)

• Uterine prolapse

• Vaginal vault

Risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse include pregnancy and childbirth, aging and menopause, smoking, chronic cough or constipation, and a genetic predisposition. 

For more information, download the pdf here from Voices for PFD.

Have you memorized the location of every restroom in the area? 

Loss of bladder control is a common problem for women that manifests in different ways, such as minor urine leakage from coughing or sneezing, or a sudden, strong urge to urinate. The two most common types of urinary incontinence that affect women are stress incontinence and urge incontinence also called overactive bladder. Causes of urinary incontinence include being overweight, having chronic constipation or nerve damage, and experiencing damage to the pelvic floor muscles. In many cases, though, there is no obvious underlying reason for bladder control problems.

The good news is that urinary incontinence can be treated using a variety of approaches.

For Pelvic Floor Muscles and Bladder Training info, download the pdf here from Voices for PFD.

Stress urinary incontinence is a leakage of urine during moments of physical activity that increases abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise. In one scenario, pelvic tissues and muscles that support the bladder and urethra become weak and allow the bladder "neck" (where the bladder and urethra intersect) to descend during bursts of physical activity. In another case, the sphincter muscle that controls the urethra weakens and is not able to stop the flow of urine when there is an increase in abdominal pressure. 

For more info, download the pdf here from Voices for PFD.

This condition causes a strong, sudden and frequent urge to urinate (more than 8 times in 24 hours), which may be hard to control. Unexpected urination and nighttime urination, often accompanied by embarrassing leakage, can disrupt your life and lead to social isolation.

Overactive bladder occurs because the muscles of the bladder start to contract involuntarily to push urine out, even when the volume of urine is low. These involuntary contractions create an urgent need to urinate. Risk factors for overactive bladder include aging, declining cognitive function and excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine, among other bladder irritants. 

For more info, download the pdf here from Voices for PFD.

Communication is Critical!

Evidence suggests that breakdowns in the bladder-brain communication pathway are the root cause of OAB and non-obstructive urinary retention.1-3

Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy Delivered by the InterStim™ System

The relief you’ve been waiting for!

While other therapies focus on the bladder muscles, Medtronic therapies target the nerves, which is thought to help restore normal bladder function.*

• Targets the nerves that control your bladder to help it function normally again

• 85% of people using it achieved success in the first year 4

• 3X greater improvements in quality of life compared to medications 5

• Only therapy that lets you see if it works before you and your doctor decide

• More than 225,000 patients have received relief as a safe, FDA-approved and minimally invasive Bladder or Bowel Control Therapy

Implanting an InterStim™ system has risks similar to any surgical procedure, including swelling, bruising, bleeding, and infection. Talk with your doctor about ways to minimize these risks.

Proven Results

• 84% satisfaction among those who use it. 6

• 76% of people achieved success at 6 months compared to 49% who used medications 5,†

• The only OAB therapy that provides better relief than medications 5,7,8
  

The most common adverse events experienced during clinical studies included pain at implant sites, new pain, lead migration, infection, technical or device problems, adverse change in bowel or voiding function, and undesirable stimulation or sensations. Any of these may require additional surgery or cause a return of symptoms.

Are you too embarrassed to tell your doctor?

Loss of bowel control can be deeply embarrassing, but it’s more common than you might expect, and there are effective treatment options. Accidental bowel leakage can be caused by nerve damage from diabetes or multiple sclerosis, muscle damage during childbirth, hemorrhoids, chronic constipation and rectal prolapse.

Depending on the cause of your incontinence, treatment may include dietary changes, medications, special exercises that help you better control your bowels, implantation of a nerve stimulator, or surgery.

For more info, download the pdf here from Voices for PFD.

STOOL INCONTINENCE CAN BE EMBARRASSING, BUT BOWEL CONTROL THERAPY COULD HELP.

Stool incontinence is essentially the inability to control bowel movements, resulting in stool leaking from the rectum. There are two types of stool incontinence:

• Passive incontinence: If a patient is not aware of an urge to pass stool, it’s referred to as passive incontinence.

• Urge incontinence: If a patient recognizes an urge to pass stool, but the urge is so sudden that there is no time to make it to the restroom, it’s referred to as urge incontinence.

Fortunately, some patients have found relief from bowel control therapy like Medtronic Bowel Control Therapy delivered by the InterStim™system. It’s an FDA-approved and reversible treatment option.

UNDERSTANDING STOOL INCONTINENCE

While constipation and diarrhea can contribute to temporary stool incontinence, muscle or nerve damage is often the culprit for long-term incontinence.

There is a wide range of severity when it comes to losing bowel control. Some patients have no control over their bowels, while others only leak a small amount of stool when passing gas. Regardless of its severity, stool incontinence can be embarrassing and prevent patients from participating in activities that they enjoy.

What’s causing that burning sensation when you urinate?

Known as UTIs, urinary tract infections are common in women. In fact, some have repeated UTIs over months or years. Women have shorter urethras than men, which makes it easier for bacteria to enter their bladders. Having sex can also introduce bacteria into your urinary tract.

Different parts of the urinary tract can be infected, and each has a different name:

• Cystitis (bladder): Can cause you to urinate frequently or experience pain during urination. Other symptoms can include lower belly pain and cloudy or bloody urine.

• Pyelonephritis (kidneys): Symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and pain in your upper back or side.

• Urethritis (urethra): Can cause a discharge and burning when you urinate.

For more info, download the pdf here from Voices for PFD.

Why are you feeling pain and pressure as your bladder fills?

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition. It’s part of a range of diseases known as painful bladder syndrome.  Symptoms of interstitial cystitis – including pelvic pain, an urgent need to urinate and urinating small amounts -- may resemble those of a chronic urinary tract infection, but there's usually no infection.

The exact cause of interstitial cystitis is not known. However, women with this condition appear to have a defect in the bladder lining, causing them to be more sensitive to toxins in urine. Additionally, some research has found that the nerves in and around the bladder are hypersensitive. Risk factors include having fair skin and red hair, and having a chronic pain disorder.

Treatments include dietary changes, pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT), stress management, medications, bladder instillations, stretching of the bladder (hydrodistension), BOTOX, and neurostimulation, among others. 

For more info, download the pdf here from Voices for PFD.

Trouble with bladder emptying may be linked to pelvic organ prolapse, diabetic neuropathy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, stroke (cerebrovascular accident), and/or other medical conditions. Various forms of treatments exist and depend on patient circumstances. Please discuss your situation with your doctor.