Can Pelvic Organ Prolapse Cause Bloating
Many women are surprised to learn that bloating isn’t always a digestive issue. This blog explores how pelvic organ prolapse can create a bloated or full feeling in the lower abdomen, and what you can do about it.
The Pelvic Awareness Project blog explains how pelvic organ prolapse may cause bloating.
Bloating Could Be A Sign of Pelvic Organ Prolapse
We all know the bloated feeling that occurs when we eat a large meal or feel our period begin.
Not all bloating originates in the abdomen, however, or is caused by eating, or by menstrual cramps. Other conditions can cause bloating, including pelvic organ prolapse.
If you’re wondering: can a pelvic organ prolapse cause you to feel bloated? The answer is yes, and here’s what you can do about it.
What is Pelvic Organ Prolapse?
We have a system of muscles and ligaments known as the pelvic floor, which is vital to our pelvic health. The pelvic floor supports our pelvic organs, including the vagina, bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor also helps with key bodily functions like peeing, pooping, having sex, and in pregnancy and childbirth.
When those important pelvic floor muscles become weak, which can happen for various reasons, one or more pelvic organs can drop out of place. When the organ drops, it makes a bulge in the vagina, called a prolapse.1 In more severe cases, an organ can bulge onto another organ or outside the body.2
Types of Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP)
Since we have different pelvic organs, it makes sense that there are different forms of pelvic organ prolapse, or POP. What type of prolapse you have will depend on where your pelvic floor is weak and which organs are impacted.
Here are the types of pelvic organ prolapse:2
- Bladder prolapse: Also known as anterior vaginal wall prolapse, or dropped bladder, this prolapse occurs when your bladder slips out of place and bulges into your vagina. Another name for this is cystocele, and it’s the most common type of pelvic organ prolapse.
- Urethrocele: This prolapse, which is when your urethra drops, often accompanies a dropped bladder.
- Vaginal vault prolapse: This is when the top part of your vagina, known as the vaginal vault, drops into your vaginal canal.
- Rectal prolapse: There are two different types of rectal prolapse. Rectocele or posterior vaginal wall prolapse is when weakened pelvic floor muscles between your vagina and rectum cause your rectum to bulge onto the back wall of your vagina. Enterocele occurs when the small intestine bulges onto the back wall or the top of the vagina.
- Uterine prolapse: As the name suggests, this is when your uterus drops down into your vaginal canal.
There are also different levels of severity associated with POP. Mild cases may result in only a slight drop, while severe cases could lead to organs extending outside your vagina, causing a bulge.
What Are the Symptoms of Pelvic Organ Prolapse?
The side effects you may experience with prolapse will depend on which organ is impacted, which type of prolapse you have, and the severity of the prolapse. Uterine prolapse symptoms, for instance, may be quite different from cystocele symptoms. Some women have no side effects at all!
Here are the most common pelvic organ prolapse symptoms:1
- Feeling a bulge, or seeing tissue at or beyond the opening of your vagina.
- Feeling pelvic pressure, heaviness, or pain, or having lower back pain.
- Difficulty inserting a tampon and keeping it inserted.
- Changes to urinary habits, such as urinating more frequently, feeling an urgent need to urinate, having a weak stream, or being unable to empty the bladder completely.
- Changes to bowel movements, such as having trouble completely emptying the stool.
- Issues with sex, like feeling pain during intercourse.
If you have prolapse, you’re not alone, as this condition is common, too. It’s estimated that up to 50% of women will develop some type of pelvic organ prolapse over their lifetime.3
Prolapse is also treatable. If you have any symptoms that lead you to believe you may have a prolapse, see a doctor. Use our Physician Finder to find a doctor near you with expertise in women’s health so that you can receive a proper diagnosis and, if necessary, a treatment plan.
Can a Pelvic Organ Prolapse Cause Bloating?
Can pelvic organ prolapse cause bloating? Are there other symptoms of prolapse other than the most common ones listed?
In short, yes! A slipped organ can lead to a feeling of bloating and fullness in the abdomen. Some women also experience constipation, which can lead to gas. These two symptoms can make it easy to dismiss the problem as a digestive issue instead of a pelvic floor issue.4
The type of prolapse may play a part. For instance, rectal prolapse can lead to constipation and other problems related to bowel movements. Constipation can lead to gas, which can contribute to abdominal bloating.
Prolapse and the Digestive System
The digestive system can have a connection to your prolapse, too. It’s true that the bloating you feel may actually be caused by a prolapse, and not by what you eat. But there are ways your digestive system can impact your pelvic organ prolapse.
How can you relieve the bloated feeling? Here are some ways your digestive system impacts your prolapse, and what you can do about it:
1. Monitor your diet.
What you eat can lead to abdominal bloating, gas, and/or irritable bowel syndrome, which in turn can worsen pelvic organ prolapse symptoms. Watch for foods that give you gas. While it depends on the individual, certain foods can cause more flatulence, including legumes, wheat, rye, barley, garlic, onions, dairy products, and even stone fruits.4
2. Avoid constipation.
Being chronically constipated, and straining to poop, can lead to prolapse, and it can make prolapse worse. Women who have a rectal prolapse are even more susceptible to constipation. Being constipated can also lead to bloating and gas, contributing to a bloated feeling.5
3. Watch your weight.
Being overweight is a risk factor for prolapse.1 Abdominal fat, for instance, surrounds your abdominal organs and sits directly above your pelvic floor. That added weight adds pressure to your pelvic floor and can, in turn, make your prolapse symptoms worse. Losing weight can help reduce your risk for developing prolapse and other pelvic health issues.6
How to Deal With Bloating
If you’re feeling bloated as a result of your pelvic organ prolapse, then it’s important to treat the prolapse as a way to deal with bloating.
The first step is to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Cases that aren’t severe may be treated with lifestyle changes, such as eating a high fiber diet to prevent constipation.
One of the best ways to improve your pelvic health, even if you don’t have a prolapse, is by doing pelvic floor exercises to strengthen these important muscles.
Kegels for Better Health
What are pelvic floor exercises? You’ve probably heard them called by their common name, “Kegels.” If you’re feeling bloated or gassy, you may even be performing them without knowing!
That’s because “doing a Kegel” involves contracting your pelvic floor muscles in a similar manner to holding in gas, or stopping the flow of urine. Contract these muscles for three seconds, followed by a full relaxation for three seconds. Work up to 10 to 15 repetitions each time you do Kegels, and try to perform them three times a day.
Want to know more about pelvic floor exercises, including why they’re important and the steps to do them properly? Review everything you need to know about Kegels to add these vital exercises to your daily routine. They can and should be done by women of all ages, whether or not you have a pelvic organ disorder.
Research has shown that pelvic floor exercises are an effective treatment for pelvic issues, and can be a preventative measure to keep your pelvic muscles from getting weak in the first place.
Find a Doctor to Help Treat Pelvic Organ Prolapse
It’s easy to ignore the signs of pelvic organ prolapse. After all, who hasn’t had problems like an urgent need to pee or experienced lower back pain? It’s common for many of us to dismiss bloating as a stomach issue. But prolapse is a health condition that should be diagnosed and treated.
If you suspect you have a prolapse or any other pelvic condition, see a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis. Use the Physician Finder Tool to find a pelvic floor specialist or women’s health doctor in your area.
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1 - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pelvic-organ-prolapse/symptoms-causes
2- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24046-pelvic-organ-prolapse
3- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9629641/
4 - https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/bloating-causes-and-prevention-tips
5- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14615-rectal-prolapse
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