Could a Simple Swab Test Predict Pelvic Organ Prolapse?

 

Pelvic organ prolapse is one of many pelvic floor disorders we are able to treat here at Revitalize Physical Therapy. Never heard of it? I’m not surprised! It doesn’t get the coverage it should. Data on how many women are dealing with it also appears to vary. It affects approximately 3% of women in America, according to WebMD; however, the University of Chicago Medical Center says that as many as a third of women can have it by age 80. No small amount!

 

Pelvic organ prolapse is the medical term for what happens when organs, such as the bladder, small intestine, rectum, vagina or uterus, fall either into or out of the vaginal canal or the anus. This can happen due to issues, including pregnancy, delivery, pelvic organ cancers, and constipation. Any woman at any age can be affected potentially, but it’s most prevalent in midlife and among younger senior citizens.

 

Pelvic organ prolapse goes by different names, so you may hear your medical provider use a word like rectocele for a prolapse of the rectum, or cyctocele, when the bladder moves into the vagina. (Cyctocele is in fact the most common form of pelvic organ prolapse.) Pelvic organ prolapse can result in urinary frequency, incomplete emptying of the rectum, or painful sex, to name a few.  

 

So now that you’ve heard about pelvic organ prolapse, your next question might be: How can I avoid it? Fair enough! Some risk factors can be averted and others can’t. You can’t help things like, say, a history of this in your family or having had a baby, but you can make sure you are eating sufficient fiber (25-30 grams/day), and drinking enough water (8 cups/day) to try to avoid constipation. Furthermore, both urination and defecation should be completely passive processes. No straining is required, and if you must strain or push excessively to pass bowel movements, speak to your friendly neighborhood pelvic floor PT! Finally, don’t start smoking or give it up if you are already in the habit (which is a good idea anyway).

 

If you suspect that you have pelvic organ prolapse, the issue may be diagnosed by an ultrasound of your pelvis or other tests involving the bladder or urination. Physical therapy, a pessary and, when all else fails, surgery are used to treat pelvic organ prolapse. (It is worth noting, though, that surgery has a high chance of not working.)

 

Happily, science may be coming along to help further: Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found a potentially noninvasive way to screen for pelvic organ prolapse. They have discovered a vaginal swab test that may identify women who are prone to developing pelvic organ prolapse. The study appears in a medical journal called Aging Medicine. This test found that certain proteins were higher in the vaginal secretions of postmenopausal women who were diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse. 

 

If we know which women are likely to have pelvic organ prolapse, a doctor or pelvic floor therapist can initiate a preventative plan rather than one that treats them when they already are showing symptoms. When it comes to prophylactic treatment, I like to say that an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure!

 

The article doesn’t specify when the swab test will be available, but I hope it will come and soon. And you can rest assured that as soon as I have any more updates, I will keep you posted, dear readers. In closing, the sooner we know what’s going on with our pelvic floor health, the better. 

 

RESOURCES/FURTHER READING:

 

https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2023/july-pelvic-floor-disorders.html

 

https://www.totalurologycare.com/services/pelvic-organ-prolapse?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtamlBhD3ARIsAARoaEypktyKARrFGB9toCH_X7KJD2u1nmb3wLQZTDxeCXhzkr6Ji2WUY8kaAptfEALw_wcB

 

https://nyulangone.org/conditions/pelvic-organ-prolapse/diagnosis?cid=sem_google&googadcamp=Virtual_Urgent_Care_Performance_Max&googadgroup=Performance_Max&googkeyword=&googmatchtype=&insitesid=1367&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtamlBhD3ARIsAARoaEw2MHvExjQ5YaXD_OT05Fv35GhbOr1sSjuD3EFS1uVz4aS8OVrC6qUaAg3KEALw_wcB

 

https://www.webmd.com/women/pelvic-organ-prolapse

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4166938/

 

https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/conditions-services/obgyn/urogynecology/pelvic-organ-prolapse

Could Physical Therapy Be Even Better Than Surgery or Medicine?

One of the most fulfilling aspects of my job as a pelvic floor physical therapist is helping patients realize that treating pelvic floor conditions doesn’t have to mean having surgery or taking medicine. Yes, surgery and medicine can be vital tools when the body is misbehaving, and you should always consult with your doctor when deciding on a treatment, but surgery and medicine are not without their drawbacks. Surgery is risky. Medicine can have side effects. Pelvic floor physical therapy is a less frightening option, and helps with a wide range of pelvic floor conditions.

In fact, according to UC San Diego Health, the majority of pelvic health conditions do not require surgery and can be resolved by more conservative methods, including the pelvic floor physical therapy I regularly administer in my practice as a pelvic floor physical therapist in New York City. Of course this isn’t just limited to the pelvic floor. Patients with other conditions can benefit from physical therapy as well. Harvard has noted how it can be “as good as surgery and less risky” for lumbar spinal stenosis, a form of low back pain.

The New York Times recently published an article entitled “When to Try Physical Therapy Before Surgery.” The article looks at Dr. Lindsey Plass, a physical therapist who was diagnosed with the hip issue femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (F.A.I.). A surgeon told her that she had to have hip arthroscopy if she wanted to have any chance to run in marathons ever again. Despite the recommendation, Plass was unsure it would help. But taking a chance on physical therapy paid off. She was able to get back into marathons and never had to go under the knife thanks to physical therapy.

One drawback to physical therapy? It can require more patience, as it is a process that can take months and sometimes years, but for so many, it is the better option. Still doubt the power of pelvic floor physical therapy? Many of my patients have seen life-changing improvements from the pelvic floor physical therapy they’ve received from Revitalize Physical Therapy. On my Google reviews page, for instance, Anya mentions how we cured (yes, cured!) her prolapsed bladder after childbirth in only a few weeks, while Elka raves about how I helped her diastasis recti, a postpartum abdominal muscle separation.

Do you have a pelvic floor condition that’s getting in the way of you being the best and happiest version of yourself? Or do you just feel weird “down there” and you’re not really sure what’s going on? Have you heard about pelvic floor physical therapy, and are you perhaps curious how or if it might be able to help? It costs nothing to find out if pelvic floor physical therapy can
change your life, and you have everything to gain! Click the button on the upper right corner of this page to schedule a free phone consultation with me to discuss the difference pelvic floor physical therapy can make in your life.

Sources:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22346-diastasis-recti
https://health.ucsd.edu/care/gynecology/urogynecology/#treatmenthttps://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-incontinence/in-depth/bladder-control-
problems/art-20044220
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/programs/colorectal-surgery/pelvic.html

https://www.ajmc.com/view/pelvic-floor-disorders-part-2-barriers-to-effective-treatment
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/physical-therapy-as-good-as-surgery-and-less-risky-for-one-
type-of-lower-back-pain-201504097863

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