How to Treat Cystocele

Childbirth changes the body dramatically. Aside from the swollen abdomen and breasts, carrying and giving birth to a baby affects a woman's hair, joints, organs and more. The birthing process strains the walls of the birth canal, sometimes to the point where they can no longer do their job. When this happens, other organs, such as the bladder, can invade the vaginal area in what's called a cystocele. If this happens, read on to learn how to treat the complication.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Determine the severity of the cystocele. The condition can vary from a grade 1, where the bladder falls into the vaginal area only slightly, sometimes only detectable by symptoms such as discomfort, to a full grade 3 cystocele in which the bladder bulges out of the opening of the vagina.
2. Avoid heavy lifting and straining. These actions aggravate your cystocele and impede healing. For mild cases, this may be all that is called for.
3. Strengthen your kegel muscles. Kegel exercises can strengthen the vaginal wall and allow the muscles to regain their ability to support the surrounding organs.
4. Take your estrogen levels into account. Estrogen helps to strengthen your vaginal muscles. Therefore, post-menopausal women, or those who have low estrogen levels for other reasons, can benefit from estrogen therapy to help regain the strength of their vaginal muscles.
5. Consider a pessary, or vaginal support ring, which can provide a sort of scaffolding inside the vagina to support the bladder. This is usually a temporary solution until a surgery is possible; however, some women with mild cases find this solution an adequate measure to relieve stress on the muscles while they strengthen them with other measures.
6. Contemplate surgery. In severe cases, surgery may be the only adequate solution to reposition the bladder and provide sufficient muscle support. The surgery may not be a permanent solution. Relapse can occur, as the muscles age and weaken, possibly necessitating a second surgery. If the vaginal walls are unusually thin, a special graft can be done to thicken the muscle wall and provide more support.