A cystocele is a defect in the female bladder that causes urine to overflow into a woman’s vagina or urethra during times of increased pressure, such as when coughing or bearing down with constipation. The most obvious symptom of a cystocele is urine leakage during coughs, sneezes, bowel movements, and heavy lifting.
Cystocele is often the result of pelvic organ prolapse. If you have recurrent urinary tract infections, you should talk to your doctor about having your bladder prolapse repaired (i.e., endoscopic or surgical).
With this article, we will help you understand cystocele’s meaning.
Table of Contents
What are the Different Symptoms of a Cystocele?
The most typical symptom of a cystocele is a bulge felt on the vagina. Some of the most common symptoms presented here are:
● Constipation
● Frequency of passing urine (at least 20 times per day)
● Peeing more frequently than average (at least two times per hour)
● Urinary urgency or even urinary incontinence.
Hematuria and blood in your urine may also be present if there is a rupture in your bladder wall. Cystoceles are common problems, happening to 0.5% of people of the population.
Urethral and Bladder Cystocele: What’s the Difference
A urethral cystocele, meaning a cystocele that develops because of a defect in the urethra rather than the bladder. In contrast, a bladder cystocele is caused by childbirth, menopause, or pelvic surgery. Because of this, bladder cystoceles tend to be more common in older women, and recurrent infections may occur.
What Causes a Cystocele?
Several factors can cause a cystocele. If you have had multiple vaginal deliveries or pelvic surgery, your muscles and tissues may be weakened and therefore more susceptible to developing one. A cystocele can also be caused by aging, menopause, and hormonal changes, several factors we have no control over. Such factors can also cause a defect in the urethra or bladder.
What are the Best Treatment Options for Cystoceles?
Cystocele Diagnosis is typically based on symptoms, but sometimes imaging tests such as cystoscopy or ultrasound may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
The treatment for cystocele depends on various factors. Here are some of the medical ways to treat cystocele:
- Watchful Waiting: One of the most common treatments is watchful waiting. Doctors ask patients to be under observation before the development of a new symptom. It might lead to complications that patients can speak of.
- Nonsurgical Methods: Another way to exclude it is the way of kegel exercises. Medications are a good way as well to replace estrogen levels in the body.
- Surgical Ways: Open surgery and laparoscopic surgeries take away most of the issue with the constant bulge. Surgery may also be used to treat prolapse of the bladder or rectum. The surgeon repositions the structures in the pelvis to help relieve pressure on the urethra.
Meanwhile, some popular non-medical treatment paths include the following:
Physical Therapy
This is successful in about 50% of cases, although it is unclear why it works. It may be that pelvic floor exercises help push the bladder and the vagina back into place, which improves symptoms. Cystocele meaning that physical therapy can be a wondrous way to improve the condition.
Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT)
It involves learning to tense and relax your pelvic floor muscles so that you can quickly learn to identify where these muscles are and what they do. Tensing the muscles around the bladder and bowel is essential for function.
You should try clenching these muscles, even when you do not need to go to the toilet. Then this helps to improve function as well as relieving symptoms. It would help if you then relaxed these muscles after each exercise. After a short time, your bladder and bowel will start to function normally again (your doctor may advise using a diary).
Treating it in the Early Stage
Treatment typically lasts from 1 to 3 months, depending on the nature of your condition. After the procedure, you will be required to wear a diaper for 4 to 6 weeks while your bladder recovers from surgery. Some complications during recovery include urinary tract infection (UTI) or other infections such as urinary tract stones and cystitis.
After the first month, you may be able to go back to wearing a diaper only on a special occasion, such as going out on a date. For more information regarding how long or how long your incontinence will last, you should consult a qualified urologist to diagnose and treat incontinence.
Conclusion
The last option someone can resort to is surgery. Since it means going under the knife, not a lot of women opt for it. Cystocele is indeed common, and it happens to every other woman. With proper training and diet, you can take it into control.
