Who has ever felt urine leakage even though they didn’t feel the urge to urinate? Just lifting something heavy, coughing, or sneezing a bit too hard, and suddenly a “pee” leaks out. Actually, this condition can happen to all women. The reason is due to a sudden change in pressure in the abdominal cavity, and that pressure pushes against the muscles around the urethra. If it happens occasionally and the amount of urine leakage causes some inconvenience, it is not considered abnormal.
But whenever… your urine leakage starts to happen more frequently, even a slight movement causes leakage, or the amount is large enough to cause messiness and affect daily life, especially if accompanied by the following symptoms, it’s time to find the cause and get proper treatment.
These symptoms are warning signs of “Pelvic Organ Prolapse” to watch out for
- Urine leakage, difficulty urinating, slow urination, incomplete emptying
These symptoms clearly indicate that the “urinary tract” is abnormal, which may be caused by uterine prolapse pressing against the bladder or urethra. If left untreated, it may lead to bladder infection from retained urine. Additionally, these symptoms may indicate the presence of tumors inside the pelvic cavity, so it should not be ignored. A clear cause should be promptly investigated.
- Discomfort during sexual intercourse
This discomfort partly occurs because of vaginal muscle relaxation, causing a constant feeling of heaviness or pressure in the vagina. If there is vaginal flatulence during intercourse, it not only causes physical discomfort but also emotional distress for women. If you experience this, don’t be embarrassed. Consulting a doctor can help restore happiness in your relationship.
- Feeling like sitting on a ball all the time
Naturally, the uterus floats above the pelvic cavity, held in place by muscles and ligaments. But when these muscles weaken, the pelvic organs press against each other, causing the uterus to descend, resulting in a constant sensation of sitting on a small ball.
- Tissue protruding from the vagina
When the pelvic organs press against each other significantly, tissue may protrude from the vagina. This is a warning sign that should not be ignored because the visible tissue may be a prolapsed uterus, bladder pushed out by the uterus, or the upper vaginal wall that has prolapsed, resembling the inversion of the inner lining of a pouch.
- Vaginal bleeding
The bleeding mentioned here is not your menstrual period but abnormal bleeding. This is a sign that should not be overlooked. Such bleeding may indicate a more serious hidden disease than pelvic organ prolapse, possibly a tumor or gynecological cancer.
Who should be cautious
- Postmenopausal women, because tissue mass begins to deteriorate due to hormonal changes
- Overweight women, because the pressure in the abdomen and pelvis is greater than in those with lower weight
- Those with chronic cough, chronic constipation, or those who exert a lot of effort lifting heavy objects, as this causes frequent and strong pressure on the pelvic area, making prolapse more likely
- Those with congenital tissue or muscle weakness