Doctor's Notes on Prolapsed Uterus
Prolapsed uterus symptoms are due to the displacement of the uterus from its normal position in the body. Individuals with a prolapsed uterus may have signs and symptoms listed below:
- pressure or feeling a mass in the pelvis,
- feeling that something’s coming out of the vagina,
- cervix can be felt near the vaginal opening or protruding from the vagina,
- painful intercourse,
- difficulty with urination,
- difficulty with bowel movements,
- low back pain, and
- difficulty walking
.
The cause of a prolapsed uterus is related to weakening of the muscles and ligaments that hold the organ in place. Conditions that cause a prolapsed uterus are usually related to conditions that injure the supporting muscles and ligaments and are as follows:
- childbirth ,
- menopause,
- chronic coughing,
- constipation,
- obesity,
- surgery in the pelvic area,
- weightlifting (increased intra-abdominal pressure) , and
- pelvic tumors.
Prolapsed Uterus Symptoms
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the pelvis (it may be described as a feeling of sitting on a small ball)
- Low back pain
- Feeling that something is coming out of the vagina
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Difficulty with urination or moving the bowels
- Difficulty walking
Prolapsed Uterus Causes
The following conditions can cause a prolapsed uterus:
- Childbirth injury to the ligaments and muscles that support the walls of the bagina.
- Weakening and loss of tissue tone after menopause with loss of natural estrogen production by the ovaries/
- Conditions leading to increased pressure in the abdomen such as chronic cough (with bronchitis and asthma), straining (with constipation), pelvic tumors (rare), or an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen
- Being overweight or obese resulting in additional strain on pelvic muscles
- Radical surgery in the pelvic area leading to loss of external support
Other risk factors
- Heavy weight lifting resulting in increased intra-abdominal pressure due to straining.
- Racial factors (Caucasian and Asians are more commonly affected than African American people).
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See AnswerREFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.