Learn About the Noninvasive Treatment Options For Uterine Prolapse

Many intimate health issues are hard for women to talk about, and uterine prolapse is no exception. According to Harvard Health Publishing, uterine prolapse, or pelvic organ prolapse, is a best-kept-secret among women despite the fact that it’s an extremely common condition. In fact, if you and your friends are over 50, half of you have this health concern, but don’t discuss it.

At his practice in Las Vegas, Dr. Darin Swainston, a robotic gynecological surgeon, provides expert diagnosis and treatment for women with uterine prolapse. Here, he explains what uterine prolapse is and the noninvasive treatment options that can relieve uncomfortable symptoms, including a robotic approach that he developed.  

How uterine prolapse happens

As a woman, you may have been fortunate enough to experience the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth. However, pregnancy and delivering a baby also come with certain health “side effects.” While they may not reveal themselves right away, over time, weakened pelvic floor muscles no longer provide adequate support to hold your uterus in its correct position. When your muscles are weak or stretched from vaginal childbirth, a hysterectomy, or the changes of menopause, your uterus can slip out of place.

You might not even notice it at first, but as your uterus slips lower into your vagina, it’s not uncommon to experience uncomfortable symptoms such as:

• Urinary incontinence
• Constipation
• Discomfort or heaviness in your pelvic area
• Lower back pain
• Vaginal bleeding or discharge
• Difficulty during sex
• Uterine tissue that protrudes from the vaginal opening

Uterine prolapse typically affects women later in life, but it can also occur if you’re overweight, or have a chronic cough or chronic constipation.

Surgery isn’t the only solution

If you experience uterine prolapse, surgery isn’t the only option for correcting the problem, especially if your condition is minor. You may be able to prevent it from worsening by implementing some self-care strategies and lifestyle changes.

These noninvasive treatment solutions include:

• Doing Kegel exercises to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles
• Making dietary changes to help prevent constipation
• Avoiding heavy lifting
• Losing weight
• Controlling a chronic cough or quitting smoking
• Using a vaginal pessary to support your uterus

A vaginal pessary is a silicone or rubber device that you insert into your vagina. It remains there and supports the bulging tissue from your uterus. You remove a pessary for cleaning and before intercourse.

A pessary can be helpful if you have mild or moderate pelvic organ prolapse. And it’s a good choice if you’re planning a future pregnancy, since it’s removable and there’s no surgery involved.

When nonsurgical treatment isn’t enough

If you have a more severe form of uterine prolapse, a surgical procedure may be necessary to eliminate symptoms and the chronic discomfort associated with a uterus that’s slipped out of place. As a robotic gynecological surgeon specializing in minimally invasive procedures, Dr. Swainston offers robot-assisted surgery for women with uterine prolapse. Dr Swainston has developed and pioneered a new technique to surgically repair POP robotically. This approach corrects the problem without mess and vaginal surgery, leading to excellent results.

Robotic surgery is less invasive than traditional types of uterine surgeries that either put the uterus back into its correct position or remove it completely with a hysterectomy.

If you do need surgery to reposition your uterus, Dr. Swainston recommends robot-assisted surgery since only tiny incisions are necessary for the procedure. Robot-assisted surgery reduces risks that come with traditional open surgeries and allows you to recover faster, too.

Ideally, if you can manage uterine prolapse through noninvasive treatment options, you may be able to avoid surgery. But if surgical treatment is inevitable, robot-assisted is your best bet.

If you’re concerned about uterine prolapse, effective treatment begins with a discussion with Dr. Swainston. Call to schedule a consultation at our Las Vegas office.