Men are fortunate in one regard--they only experience anal prolapses. Women, on the other hand, can have everything drop out the bottom, from their bladders to their anuses. When weird flaps of something start hanging out "down there," and/or you are finding it very difficult to urinate, it is time (ladies!) to see your gynecologist. Here are the three kinds of prolapses women can experience, why they occur, and how your OBGYN can fix them.
Bladder Prolapse
Women, unlike men, have this short little urethra. It connects to the bottom of the bladder and then goes down to the urethral opening, which rests in between the clitoris and the vagina. During pregnancy, or after pregnancy when a woman has strained really hard during labor, part of the bladder can be pushed into the urethra, turning it slightly inside out and blocking the urethral opening.
Women always notice this prolapse first because they have so much difficulty urinating and emptying their bladders. A surgical procedure using a catheter and a catheter balloon helps push the bladder back up inside the body and away from the urethra. It can be uncomfortable and slightly painful, so your gynecologist will provide a local anesthetic prior to the in-office procedure.
Vaginal Prolapse
Vaginal prolapses are extremely common in women. Essentially, their uteri turn inside out and fall out of the vagina. Injuries to the abdomen, childbirth, labor, delivery, and penetration with objects larger than a large penis (e.g., a fist, a soda bottle, etc.) can cause a vaginal prolapse. While the uterus can be pushed gently back inside, the real problem are the muscles and tendons that hold the uterus and vagina in place. Your OBGYN will have to open your abdomen and suture the uterus in place. Then you do not have to go through the embarrassment of having it pushed back inside again when it falls out again.
Anal Prolapse
There are only two known causes of anal prolapses. One is old age, and the other is a lot of anal sex. Adult film stars frequently experience anal prolapses from years of stretching the anus through anal sex. The result is that your anus sort of falls out and has to be pushed back inside. A little minor surgery helps correct that. If your case of anal prolapse is due to old age, you can have the same surgery to put your anus back inside. This is highly recommended to prevent tearing of the anus during bowel movements.
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