What are the signs and symptoms of a cystocele?
- A soft bulge or lump in your vagina
- Low back pain that is relieved when you lie down
- Pelvic pain or pressure, especially when you urinate or have sex
- Pink or red urine
- Pressure in your abdomen, or you feel that you cannot completely empty your bladder
- Difficult, painful, or frequent urination, especially at night
- Urine leaks out when you cough, sneeze, or laugh
What does a rectocele feel like to touch?
Rectal Pressure Some women with a rectocele have no symptoms. However, many women experience vaginal pressure, or the feeling that something is falling out of the vagina. Women also often report: Rectal pressure or fullness, or the sensation that something is stuck in the rectum.
What does a cystocele feel like to touch?
Symptoms of cystocele include: Feeling of pelvic heaviness or fullness. Bulge in the vagina that you can feel. Aching or a feeling of pressure in the lower belly or pelvis.
What does a rectocele and cystocele feel like?
A soft bulge of tissue in the vagina that might come through the opening of the vagina. Trouble having a bowel movement. Feeling pressure or fullness in the rectum. A feeling that the rectum has not completely emptied after a bowel movement.
Can you have both rectocele and cystocele?
Cystocele, urethrocele, enterocele, and rectocele are particularly likely to occur together. Urethrocele is virtually always accompanied by cystocele (cystourethrocele).
What can mimic a cystocele?
There are many different conditions that could mimic the symptoms of bladder prolapse and should be included in the differential diagnosis such as rectal or uterine prolapse, ovarian or uterine benign and malignant tumors, vulvar malignancy, or benign vulvar lesions such as Bartholin's or Skene's cyst, urethral ...
Can you feel a mild cystocele?
In mild cases of anterior prolapse, you may not notice any signs or symptoms. When signs and symptoms occur, they may include: A feeling of fullness or pressure in your pelvis and vagina. In some cases, a bulge of tissue in your vagina that you can see or feel.
Can a rectocele and cystocele be repaired at the same time?
These breaks and weaknesses are repaired with suture and sometimes covered with a graft or mesh. If there is any bulging of the bladder, this will also be repaired at the same time- this is called and anterior repair or cystocele repair.
Can poop get stuck in a rectocele?
Symptomatic rectoceles can lead to excessive straining with bowel movements, the urge to have multiple bowel movements throughout the day, and rectal discomfort. Fecal incontinence or smearing may occur as small pieces of stool can be retained in a rectocele (stool trapping), only to later seep out of the anus.
How do doctors check for rectocele?
How Is a Rectocele Diagnosed? A pelvic exam includes both a vaginal and rectal examination. A digital rectal exam will be performed to assess weakness in the wall of the rectum closest to the vagina. A special X-ray, called defecography, can also confirm a rectocele.
What should you not do with a rectocele?
Perform Kegel exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles. Avoid constipation by eating high-fiber foods, drinking plenty of fluids and, if needed, taking a fiber supplement. Avoid bearing down during bowel movements. Avoid heavy lifting.
How long does a cystocele rectocele surgery take?
In most cases, surgery is done under general anesthesia and takes about one hour. The most common surgical repair is a transvaginal rectocele repair, also called a posterior repair. The rectocele is reached through the vagina.
How do you poop with a rectocele?
Try to reduce the pressure on your rectocele by keeping your weight normal and not straining on the toilet. Keep your stool soft and bulky so it is easier to pass. Plenty of fibre in your diet can help. A sachet of fibre powders (such as Fybogel) every day may also be useful.
Can you feel cystocele with fingers?
You can usually tell which structure has prolapsed with a brief self exam. If you put your finger inside of your vagina and it feels squishy in the front, it's a cystocele. Squishy in the back is a rectocele.
Can you feel a prolapsed bladder with your finger?
Insert 1 or 2 fingers and place over the front vaginal wall (facing the bladder) to feel any bulging under your fingers, first with strong coughing and then with sustained bearing down.
What does a cystocele prolapse feel like?
Feeling of fullness, heaviness, or pain in the pelvic area or lower back. This feeling may get worse when the person is standing, lifting, coughing, or as the day goes on. The bladder bulging into or out of the vagina. Painful sex.
Can you feel your own prolapse?
In more serious cases of vaginal prolapse, the top of the vagina may bulge outside the vaginal opening. Symptoms of vaginal prolapse include the feeling of vaginal pressure or fullness — like you're sitting on a small ball — and the sensation that something has fallen out of your vagina.
When is it used?
Surgery is done to relieve bulging into the vagina that may be caused by a cystocele and rectocele. Surgery is usually used only after you have tried other treatments such as:
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How to help a rectocele?
Kegel exercises, which involve squeezing the pelvic floor muscles, may help to strengthen the muscles around the vagina and bladder. A diet that allows for easy passage of stools may help with a rectocele. The diet should include fiber, liquids, and a stool softener if advised.
What is cystocele in a woman?
In a cystocele, there is a defect in the fascia between the bladder and vagina. This allows a part of the bladder wall to bulge into the vagina. There are 3 grades of cystocele: Grade 1—mildest form, where the bladder drops only partway into the vagina.
When do rectoceles appear?
Rectoceles are more commonly seen in older women who have entered menopause.
What is a Rectocele?
Sometimes, an area of this wall gets weak, and part of the rectum bulges into the vagina. This bulge is called a rectocele.
What questions do doctors ask about vaginal delivery?
Your doctor will ask about the number of times that you've had a vaginal delivery, and about any problems, such as vaginal tears, you may have had with your deliveries. After reviewing your rectal and vaginal symptoms, your doctor also may ask about any urinary problems that suggest that you might have a cystocele as well as a rectocele.
How many women have rectoceles?
In 1 recent study of 125 women in the United States who had rectoceles, the typical patient was about 60 years old, going through menopause, and had gone through 2 or 3 vaginal deliveries.
What to do if you have a bulge in your vagina?
Call your doctor promptly if you discover an abnormal bulge in the wall of your vagina, or if you suddenly develop severe rectal pressure, pain or bleeding. Call your doctor for an appointment if you suffer from chronic constipation, pain or discomfort during sexual intercourse, or any difficulty passing stool.
Can a small rectocele cause a vaginal bulge?
Symptoms. A small rectocele may not cause any symptoms, especially if it bulges less than 2 centimeters (less than 1 inch) into the vagina. However, larger rectoceles can trigger a variety of rectal and vaginal complaints, including: A feeling that the rectum has not emptied completely after a bowel movement.
What causes rectocele?
Some conditions can increase the risk of developing rectocele, including chronic constipation, chronic cough, repetitive heavy lifting, or any activity that puts pressure on the pelvic floor over time .
What is a cystocele repair?
Cystocele and Rectocele Repair. Cystocele and rectocele repair is surgery to lift and tighten the tissue around the bladder and rectum so that these organ s no longer push into the vagina . ... These problems can cause discomfort, leaking of urine or bowel movements, bladder infections, constipation, and pain during sex.
How long does it take for a cystocele to heal?
If you had a cystocele repair, the bladder catheter often needs to stay in longer sometimes 2-6 days. This will allow the bladder more time to begin to work normally. When you return home, do the following to help ensure a smooth recovery: Avoid lifting anything that weighs more than 10 pounds for about 6 weeks.
How long does a bladder catheter stay in the vagina after a cystocele repair?
If you had a rectocele repair, the bladder catheter will be removed as soon as you are able to use the bathroom on your own. If you had a cystocele repair, the bladder catheter often needs to stay in longer sometimes 2-6 days.
How long do you stay in the hospital after a cystocele?
After Cystocele and rectocele surgery. You may stay in the hospital anywhere from 2 to 6 days. The catheter may remain in your bladder 2 to 6 days or until your bladder starts working normally again. You may be constipated during this time. During the first 4 weeks after the operation, there may be some smelly, ...
What is the surgical repair of rectoceles and enteroceles?
Surgical repair of rectoceles and enteroceles is used to manage symptoms such as movement of the intestine that pushes against the wall of the vagina, low back pain, and painful intercourse. An enterocele may not cause symptoms until it is so large that it bulges into the midpoint of the vaginal canal.
How long does it take to heal from vaginal surgery?
You can expect to feel better and stronger each day, although you may get tired quickly and need pain medicine for a week or two. You may need about 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover from open surgery and 1 to 2 weeks to recover from laparoscopic surgery or vaginal surgery.
How long does it take to recover from a rectocele?
Rectocele recovery time. Typical recovery for Rectocele is 2-3 weeks. Your doctor may prescribe pain medication to make you feel more comfortable. You can expect to resume normal physical activity within hours of your procedure. But you should not have sex until 6 weeks after surgery.
How to treat rectocele without surgery?
Strategies include: Avoid constipation by following a high-fiber diet (more than 25 grams of fiber per day) and drinking six to eight 10-ounce glasses of water per day. Avoid straining during bowel movements and long periods of sitting on the toilet.
How to repair a rectocele?
A rectocele can also be repaired by a colorectal surgeon through a transanal repair. The rectocele is reached through the anus. This method is preferred by many colorectal surgeons because it allows for correction of problems in the anal or rectal area, in addition to repairing the rectocele.
What does rectocele mean?
A sense of bulging or fullness in your vagina. Problems with sexual intercourse. The need to manually reduce the bulge in your vagina to have a bowel movement. A rectocele should be treated only if your symptoms interfere with your quality of life.
How to stop bowel movement?
These methods include: Avoiding constipation by following a high-fiber diet (more than 25 grams of fiber per day) and drinking 6 to 8 10-ounce glasses of water per day. Avoiding straining during bowel movements and long periods of sitting on the toilet. Using stool softeners if needed.
How to reduce bulge in vagina?
Follow exercises designed to strengthen and retrain the muscles of the pelvic floor. Go to your provider to be fitted with a pessary, a device placed into the vagina to reduce the bulge.
Why does my vagina have a bulge?
The bulge occurs as a result of thinning and weakening of the band of tissue that separates the vagina from the rectum. This thinning has a number of causes, including: Advanced age. Multiple vaginal childbirths or trauma during childbirth (for example, the use of forceps or the tearing of tissue during delivery).
Can rectocele be treated?
Both non-surgical and surgical options are used to treat a rectocele. You should have a thorough physical exam and talk with your provider before deciding on the best treatment.
How do you know if you have an enterocele?
Symptoms of an enterocele may be sensation of a mass bulging into the vagina or pushing against the perineum or pain with intercourse. They may also include a pulling sensation in the pelvis or low back pain that eases up when you lie down, vaginal discharge, or a feeling of pelvic fullness, pain, or pressure.
What is the diagnostic tool used for enterocele?
Congenital: Birth defect. An additional and more definitive diagnostic tool utilized for enterocele is called DRE or defecography (also called proctography).
What is the term for the rectum pushing back inside itself?
Women who’ve been diagnosed with rectocele will gladly share the difficulties they have navigating constipation-it haunts them daily. Intussusception is the rectum pushing back inside itself (partially inside out), similar to a glove finger pushed into itself.
Is enterocele a distant cousin?
By Sherrie Palm. Little talked about, often overlooked; enterocele is like the distant cousin who is more misunderstood thanthe “popular” first cousin’s cystocele and rectocele. Articles about pelvic organ prolapse are incredibly vague when it comes to enterocele; this POP is sometimes undiagnosed when other types of POP are acknowledged ...
Can enterocele be a hysterectomy?
Patients with previous pelvic surgery may have a predisposition to an enterocele as well; particularly a hysterectomy. An enterocele can develop in the posterior wall (back side by rectum) or anterior wall (front side by bladder), basically wherever the small bowel (intestines) fall through defects in the vaginal wall.
Definition
- The pelvic organs are held in place by muscles and tissues that can sometimes weaken and stretch. A cystocele is when the bladder and vaginal wall fall into the vaginal opening. A rectocele is when the rectum bulges into the front of the vagina.
Causes
- The muscles and tissues can be damaged by difficult vaginal births, such as: 1. Multiple births 2. The use of forceps to help with delivery 3. Tearing or an episiotomy The muscles and tissues can also be damaged over time from: 1. Lifting heavy objects 2. Chronic cough 3. Chronic constipation 4. Lack of estrogen after menopause
Risk Factors
- This problem is more common in women who have gone through menopause. Other things that may raise the risk are: 1. A history of difficult vaginal births 2. History of straining during bowel movements 3. Obesity 4. Smoking
Symptoms
- Some muscle and tissue weakening may not cause symptoms. People with a severe cystocele may have: 1. Problems controlling the flow of urine or fully emptying the bladder 2. Pelvic pain or pressure 3. Pain during sex 4. Tissue bulging out of vagina People with a severe rectocele may have: 1. Pain or pressure in the vagina or rectum 2. Pain during se...
Diagnosis
- The doctor will ask about symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. You may also have a vaginal and rectal exam. This is enough to make the diagnosis.
Treatment
- People who do not have symptoms may be watched for signs of change. The goal in others will be to ease symptoms and stop the problem from getting worse. Options are:
Prevention
- The risk of this health problem may be lowered by: 1. Avoid jobs that involve heavy lifting 2. Doing pelvic floor exercises 3. Treating constipation 4. Not smoking 5. Reaching or maintaining a healthy weight