Is there a Ball in my Vagina? How to tell if you have Pelvic Prolapse and where to go from there (2025)

“Is there a ball in my vagina?” - How can you tell if you may have pelvic prolapse?

Do you experience any of the following?

  • Bulging sensation in the vagina
  • Heaviness or pressure within the vagina
  • Sensation of a bulge protruding from the vaginal entrance (this may be visible sitting at the entrance of the vagina)
  • Can’t make it to the restroom in time.
  • Low back ache and/or pain
  • Abdominal pressure and/or pain
  • Visible bulge at the entrance to the vagina
  • Difficulty inserting a tampon or tampon moving down the vagina once inserted.

These particular symptoms often become worse with

  • prolonged standing
  • over the course of the day and
  • with straining to use the bowels.

What else might I be experiencing?

Bladder Symptoms of Prolapse

  • Increased bladder frequency (bladder emptying)
  • Bladder urgency and associated bladder leakage (strong urge to empty the bladder)
  • Problems with the flow of urine which may be slow to flow, prolonged duration to empty, hesitant or stop/start urine flow
  • Incomplete bladder emptying (which can contribute to chronic bladder infections and associated symptoms)
  • Needing to manually reposition the vaginal prolapse to allow the bladder to empty
  • Bladder flow changed according to the position of the body.

Bowel Symptoms of Prolapse

  • Difficulty emptying the bowel including problems commencing emptying, needing to strain throughout and a sensation of incomplete bowel emptying
  • Constipation requiring straining or manual assisting using the fingers to provide pressure against or within the vagina to manually assist
  • Incontinence of stool (including liquid stool and staining of underwear especially with rectal prolapse)
  • Sensation of constantly needing to pass stool or rectal pressure
  • Poor wind (flatus) control
  • Bowel urgency
  • Discomfort during and/or after emptying the bowel.

Sexual Symptoms of Prolapse

  • Vaginal pain or vaginal discomfort during or after penetrative sexual intercourse
  • Difficulty with penetration with more severe prolapse
  • Bladder leakage with intercourse
  • Decreased sexual satisfaction
  • Decreased sexual arousal
  • Sexual disinterest

What is a Pelvic Prolapse?

Uterine Prolapse

A pelvic prolapse is a bulge of one or more of the pelvic organs into the vagina. The pelvic organs include the bladder, uterus, and rectum. A prolapse occurs when the walls of the vagina and the supports for the pelvic organs become weakened and stretched. The different types of pelvic organ prolapse are:

  • Cystocele is a bladder prolapse into the front wall of the vagina;
  • Rectocoele is a prolapse of the large bowel (colon and/or rectum) into the back wall of the vagina;
  • Prolapsed uterus or uterine prolapse is the downward movement of the uterus and cervix down into the vagina (shown above);
  • Urethrocele is a urethral prolapse/bladder beck into the front wall of the vagina; and
  • Rectal prolapse is a prolapse of the rectum through the anus.

These different types of prolapse may have unique symptoms that are particular to that specific prolapse for example a rectocoele is typically associated with bowel symptoms.

How do I find out if that’s what I have?

A gynecologist or pelvic floor physical therapist can examine your body and diagnose the condition.

What can I do about it?

  • Avoid aggressive abdominal exercise and check with a pelvic floor PT which exercises are safe, and how you can modify the ones you like so they won’t make your prolapse worse.
  • If overweight, reduce abdominal fat and weight.
  • Correct poor posture.
  • Managing your bowels using correct bowel emptying technique
  • Using a support pessary
  • Exhale on exertion when lifting heavy objects.
  • No breath holding please!
  • Brace your abdomen when coughing, laughing hard, or sneezing - anything that increases pressure in the abdominal cavity.
  • Manage chronic chest conditions that cause coughing.
  • Modifying adverse lifestyle factors (e.g. using safe lifting techniques)
  • Staying strong and fit with pelvic floor safe exercises

Prolapse comes in different levels of severity.

Mild forms often get better with pelvic floor PT.

What can a pelvic Physical Therapist (PT) do for me?

Your pelvic PT can do a general postural assessment, test your flexibility and strength, and can perform an internal and/or external exam if you like.

They can teach you how to correctly activate pelvic floor and core muscles, and how to lift heavy objects correctly.

Many women experience successful symptom reduction.

Your PT will provide helpful information and teach you how to take care of your body.Their goal is to make you better and help you feel empowered to get your normal life and dignity back.

In more severe cases, a gynecologist may be able to relieve symptoms by fitting you with a pessary.There are many different kinds available to address the different kind of prolapse.

Source and more Info:

https://www.pelvicexercises.com.au/bowel-movement/

Is there a Ball in my Vagina?  

How to tell if you have Pelvic Prolapse and where to go from there (2025)

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