Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWho Gets Rectal Prolapse?Signs of Rectal ProlapseDiagnosing Rectal ProlapseTreating a Prolapsed RectumWhen to Call Your Doctor Immediately
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Who Gets Rectal Prolapse?
Signs of Rectal Prolapse
Diagnosing Rectal Prolapse
Treating a Prolapsed Rectum
When to Call Your Doctor Immediately
If you have rectal prolapse, you may even be able to feel a small lump or soft piece of tissue extending from your anus. While it’s not a comfortable or natural feeling, most people with rectal prolapse state that it does not cause pain. Note, however, that most abnormal lumps around the anus arehemorrhoids.
As you age, these muscles lose tone and this can result in a small prolapse. Similarly, after women give birth to children, the muscles can relax and stretch, also setting the stage for a prolapse. Constipation and the consequential straining to move your bowels is also a common cause of rectal prolapse.
Chronic Functional Constipation With No Specific Cause
Aside from noticing rectal tissue outside of your anus, a prolapsed rectum may cause several other symptoms.
Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee
If you pass bloody stools, see blood in the toilet bowl after a bowel movement, or see blood on the tissue while wiping, call your healthcare provider.
Rectal bleeding is a sign of colon cancer, but it also has several more innocuous causes including ulcers, gastrointestinal viruses,hemorrhoidsor even a prolapse. You should never assume the cause of the bleeding — see yourpractitioner and discuss it.
You might first notice a prolapse following a coughing or sneezing fit. If you have a rectal prolapse, the tissues can protrude with the increased pressure from coughing or sneezing and then retract when you are finished.
The easiest way to diagnose a rectal prolapse is through a complete physical examination. Your healthcare provider will take a history of your complaints and might be able to visualize the rectal tissue extending through your anus. Unlike hemorrhoids, a rectal prolapse can usually be gently tucked back up inside your rectum. If your healthcare provider has concerns about the severity or underlying cause of your prolapse he or she may send you for further testing.
Anevacuation proctogramis a highly specialized radiographic test used to detect and diagnose malformations of your pelvic floor—the area where your rectum lies. This test is not available in all locations due to the specialized equipment needed and is not frequently done for a routine problem.
What to Expect During Defecography
Most often a small rectal prolapse does not require any intervention or treatment, just monitoring. Making some simple dietary changes can help stop the progression of prolapse. Increasing your fluid and fiber intake will help to decrease the amount of time you spend straining on the toilet to pass a bowel movement.
There are several different ways that your surgeon can surgically correct the prolapse, but most techniques involve removing a small portion of your colon and reattaching it to your anus. This is a major surgery that requires hospitalization; discuss the risks and benefits with your healthcare provider.
When to Call Your Practitioner Immediately
It is an emergency if you have a known rectal prolapse that stays on the outside of your body. The prolapsed tissue can become strangulated and start to lose circulation, and as the tissues lose circulation, they become necrotic and die. This requires serious medical treatment and most likely surgery to correct.
You should always report any rectal bleeding. The cause might be innocuous, but you won’t know until you speak to your healthcare provider. If significant enough, continuous blood loss can cause serious problems.
Rectal Prolapse Signs, Diagnosis, and Treatment
SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. (n.d.). Rectal Prolapse.Bowel and Cancer Research. (n.d.). Rectal Prolapse.Cedars Sinai. (n.d.).Evacuation Proctogram.
Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. (n.d.). Rectal Prolapse.Bowel and Cancer Research. (n.d.). Rectal Prolapse.Cedars Sinai. (n.d.).Evacuation Proctogram.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. (n.d.). Rectal Prolapse.Bowel and Cancer Research. (n.d.). Rectal Prolapse.Cedars Sinai. (n.d.).Evacuation Proctogram.
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