Guest post is provided by Dr. Berenholz of the Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute of Michigan.  Dr. Berenholz specializes in vaginal reconstruction surgeries such as labia surgery.  Check out his website for more information.

Pelvic relaxation causes problems for millions of women every year.  Over thirty million American women suffer from distressing symptoms related to pelvic relaxation.  When the vagina and pelvic muscles become weak and overly relaxed, sexual function is often impacted and many women experience urinary incontinence.

It is very common for vaginal weakness to occur after childbirth as well as from aging.  Pelvic relaxation can also occur from chronic constipation, obesity, and heavy lifting.  Some women also develop this condition once they go through menopause.  Many women experience difficulty controlling their urine and the function of the bowels is often impacted as well.

The pelvis includes the vagina, the uterus, the bladder, and the rectum.  All of these organs are supported by muscles, tissue called fascia, and ligaments.  These organ supports can become damaged in various ways which in turn affects the function of the pelvis.  If a pelvic floor gets stretched out and damaged, the various organs can sag and even occasionally protrude outside of the vagina.

There are a few different conditions that can occur from pelvic floor dysfunction including a pelvic floor hernia which is essentially a sagging uterus or a sagging bladder which is known as a bladder prolapse.

There are many different symptoms that can accompany pelvic relaxation including pain in the vagina, lower abdomen, groin or lower back, a feeling of heaviness or fullness on the vagina or bladder, and frequent urinary tract infections.  It’s also common to have constipation issues and bladder control problems, particularly when laughing, coughing, walking, running, sneezing or performing heavy lifting.

There are a few different successful remedies for this issue.  For all women suffering from these problems, eating a healthy diet that’s high in fiber can help to keep the bowels moving correctly.  For some, Kegel exercises may be sufficient in shaping up the pelvic floor muscles.  These exercises typically involve squeezing the muscles for short increments.  For others, estrogen supplements may be an adequate treatment while others require medication.  In some serious cases, vaginal surgery or bladder surgery may be necessary.  Some women need to have a complete removal of the uterus which is also known as a hysterectomy.

As most medical issues, the best method to combat pelvic relaxation is to adhere to preventative care.  That means that performing daily Kegel exercises, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a diet high in fiber in order to prevent constipation are ways to help prevent these problems from occurring.