Jean, a 74-year-old woman from Plano, Texas, began experiencing symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction including feeling her internal organs protruding during bowel movements. She was diagnosed by her OBGYN, Dr. Murray Fox, with a vaginal prolapse, a common condition seen at the Women's Specialists of Plano. Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when the muscles supporting the female reproductive and digestive organs weaken, causing pelvic pressure and organs to fall through the vagina. For Jean, insertion of a vaginal pessary resolved her symptoms. Pelvic floor dysfunction can be treated with physical therapy or surgery such as using a pessary or mesh to support prolapsed organs.

1. This article was originally published on http://obgynplano.com on May 26, 2011
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction | Vaginal Prolapse | Vaginal Pessary | Plano, Texas
The Women’s Specialists of Plano (972.379.2416, http://obgynplano.com) offers specializes in
pelvic floor dysfunction and vaginal prolapse. When Jean, a 74-year old resident of Plano,
Texas, began having unusual and at times frightening symptoms during bowel movements, she
decided to make an appointment with the Women’s Specialists of Plano. “What should have
been an everyday normal bodily function for anyone, created stress and anxiety for me because
every time I attempted to take a bowel movement, I felt as if my internal organs were coming
out—and in most cases, they were,” said Jean.
Jean’s OBGYN, Dr. Murray Fox, diagnosed her condition as pelvic floor dysfunction, or in her
case, a vaginal prolapse. It is a common disorder seen by the entire group of doctors at WSOP
including Drs. Jules Monier, Dennis Eisenberg, Daryl Greebon and Jon Ricks.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition in which the muscles that uphold the reproductive and
digestive organs of a female weaken, and fail to work properly. The immediate result of this
muscle failure is “falling of the female organs”, or, a sensation of pelvic pressure or an actual
falling of the organs dropping through the vagina. Difficulty passing stools and urinary
incontinence are the most common immediate symptoms eventually causing pain, and even
more alarming symptoms such as what Jean was experiencing. With the insertion of a vaginal
pessary, Jean’s symptoms went away and she was able to resume life as normal.
During the early stages of pelvic floor dysfunction, it may be possible to re-strengthen the pelvic
muscles through physical therapy and repair the damage before the dysfunction progresses.
But due to the nature of the symptoms, it is commonly missed at an early stage, and the
dysfunction becomes much worse.
When pelvic floor dysfunction is not treated properly or immediately it can cause problems of
much larger proportions such as:
• Cystocele-The protrusion of the bladder into, and at times through the vagina.
• Rectocele-The protrusion of the rectum into, and at times through the vagina.
• Enterocele-The protrusion of the bowel into, and at times through the vagina.
• Urethrocele-The protrusion of the urethra into, and at times through the vagina.
• Vaginal Prolapse-The protrusion of the top of the vagina into the lower portion of the
vagina completely inverting it. (This is most common in post-hysterectomy patients.)
Statistics suggest that 40% of women between 60-80 years of age will experience some degree
of pelvic floor dysfunction or vaginal prolapse. At this age the dysfunction is the resort of
multiple things including age, gravity, number of children, constipation, childbirth etc. However, it
is important to note that 1 of every 3 women of 25 and up will suffer from the dysfunction as
well. The most common causes being pregnancy, obesity, vaginal delivery, and menopause.
If you begin to notice symptoms that lead you to believe that you may be suffering from any
degree of pelvic floor dysfunction, consult with your physician as soon as possible. Pelvic floor
dysfunction is diagnosed through a series of testing. Your doctor will begin their testing with a
careful study of your medical history, symptoms, and physically or emotionally traumatic
experiences that could be contributing to the physical and emotional pain of this disorder.
Specific tests will be administered to determine which muscles are not properly performing their
job.

2. Pelvic floor dysfunction may be treated with specialized physical therapy known as biofeedback
if the dysfunction is found at an early stage. With biofeedback, a person may be able to
strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and remind the body to perform these tasks as it should.
Approximately 75% of individuals with pelvic floor dysfunction experience significant
improvement with biofeedback.
Many times, pelvic floor dysfunction patients and those suffering from vaginal prolapse will need
corrective surgery. Using a vaginal pessary or a mesh device is often effective for curing the
problem. A vaginal pessary can be inserted into the vagina to support the prolapsed organs.
Meshes to secure organs into place are also commonly used. Using sutures, a mesh is used to
help keep the bladder, uterus or other pelvic organs secure. Using a pessary or a mesh will
commonly alleviate symptoms.
If you are experiencing unusual symptoms that you believe may be associated with pelvic floor
dysfunction, consult with your doctor and learn about the treatment options that are available to
help you with your specific situation.