September 25, 2024
If you’ve ever wondered if getting a pessary will help stop your bladder leaks, this post is for you. A pessary is a device similar to an old-school diaphragm that is used for birth control. It is inserted into the vagina to support its walls, preventing them from collapsing. This is crucial in managing prolapse, which occurs when organs such as the bladder, uterus, or rectum collapse into the vaginal wall.
In a healthy body, the bladder, uterus, and rectum are positioned in a way that allows for optimal function of each organ. When a prolapse occurs these organs can collapse downward out of position causing them to push into the vaginal wall. When a bladder prolapse happens the bladder shifts from position so much that the vaginal wall falls into the vaginal canal creating a bulge that can restrict the vaginal opening and lead to incontinence issues.
A pessary can be inserted to push the bladder back up, keeping the vaginal canal open and preventing it from collapsing. This support helps manage bladder leaks by ensuring the bladder empties properly through the urethra, reducing urinary urgency and frequency.
How Does a Pessary Help with Bladder Leaks?
In a normal, uncollapsed bladder, urine fills and empties out through the urethra without issue. However, during a bladder prolapse, urine can collect in a pocket formed by the collapsing bladder, causing residual urine to remain. This can lead to frequent urges to urinate, even shortly after using the bathroom, and incontinence.
The pessary helps by pushing the bladder back into its proper position, allowing for complete emptying and reducing leaks and urgency. It essentially prevents urine from collecting in that lower pocket, ensuring the bladder empties fully with each trip to the bathroom.
The one thing to realize is that like vaginas, pessaries come in various shapes and sizes. A pessary is typically fit by your urologist or gynecologist and it is not uncommon to have to try more than one to get the correct fit so don’t get frustrated.
If bladder leaking is an issue and you have been diagnosed with a cystocele or bladder prolapse a pessary can be an excellent conservative management option in addition to pelvic floor exercises and woking with a pelvic floor therapist.
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