Reproductive & Sexual Health
Uterine Prolapse
Downward displacement of the uterus and/or vaginal wall due to weakened pelvic muscles and ligaments — treated with Kegel exercises, wild yam cream, and nutritional support to strengthen pelvic tissues.
Also known as: prolapse of the uterus, pelvic floor hernia, pelvic organ prolapse, uterine descent, bronchitis (definition: inflammation of the airways in lungs)
📝 At a glance
Likely root causes: Weakened pelvic muscles and ligaments from childbirth (especially multiple or difficult deliveries).; Estrogen decline after menopause.; Obesity..
First thing to try: Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor and can treat mild prolapse and prevent urinary incontinence.
See a doctor if: See a doctor if symptoms are severe, persistent, or worsening, or if you are unsure — natural supports are meant to complement, not replace, professional care.
🔎 Start with the cause
Lasting relief rarely comes from covering a symptom. First find what is feeding the problem, change what you can, and then help the body do what it was designed to do — heal.
Likely root causes
- Weakened pelvic muscles and ligaments from childbirth (especially multiple or difficult deliveries).
- Estrogen decline after menopause.
- Obesity.
- Chronic cough, asthma, or bronchitis (increases abdominal pressure).
- Straining during bowel movements.
- Diabetes.
Change what you can
- Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor and can treat mild prolapse and prevent urinary incontinence.
- Do them as often as possible — at least once an hour throughout the day — sitting, standing, or lying down.
- To identify the correct muscle, imagine you are urinating and have to stop suddenly; that is the pelvic floor.
- Contract and hold for 10 seconds.
- Relax slowly.
- Repeat 5–10 times.
- Rub wild yam cream on the pelvic area — helps strengthen the supporting tissues.
- Lose excess weight to reduce pressure on the pelvic floor.
- Treat any chronic cough or constipation.
🌿 Then assist nature: remedies & protocols
With the cause being addressed, these are the actual things people do for this — ranked by the community. Vote ▲ on what helped you and ▼ on what didn't, and open How to do it for the steps. Each shows two quick signals: Evidence (how much science backs it) and Gentleness (how safe and in keeping with whole, natural health).
★ Start here — our first-line pick, pinned for safety
This is the safest, most foundational option because it is well-supported, gentle, and often the only treatment needed for mild prolapse.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Kegel exercises strengthen the pubococcygeus and surrounding pelvic floor muscles that support the uterus, bladder, and bowel, which can ease mild prolapse symptoms and help prevent worsening over time.
- Empty your bladder, then sit or lie down comfortably.
- Tighten your pelvic floor muscles as if stopping the flow of urine, holding for 3 to 5 seconds.
- Relax the muscles fully for 3 to 5 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times, three times a day (morning, afternoon, and night).
a few minutes per session · 3 times a day
Caution: Doing Kegels incorrectly or too forcefully can overtighten muscles and cause pain during intercourse — ask a pelvic floor physical therapist for guidance if unsure. It can take 4 to 6 weeks of consistent practice before you notice fewer symptoms, and results fade if you stop doing them.
When to get help: See a doctor promptly if you have trouble urinating or having a bowel movement, or if tissue is bulging out of the vagina and becomes painful, discolored, or won't go back in.
Source: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book
Comments & experiences ▾
Also helps — ranked by the community (vote to reorder)
A gentle, foundational lifestyle layer that pairs well with Kegel exercises to prevent symptoms from getting worse.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Chronic straining from constipation, heavy lifting, obesity, or a persistent cough puts ongoing pressure on already-weakened pelvic floor muscles, so reducing these pressures helps prevent prolapse from worsening.
- Eat more fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.
- Avoid straining during bowel movements; see a doctor if constipation is a regular problem.
- Use proper lifting technique — bend at the knees, not the waist, and avoid lifting heavy objects when possible.
- Work toward a healthy weight if you are overweight, since extra weight adds pressure on the pelvic floor.
ongoing, daily habit · daily
Caution: A chronic cough should be evaluated by a doctor, especially if it is from smoking, since ongoing coughing worsens prolapse. These changes support pelvic health but will not correct a prolapse that is already moderate to severe — see your doctor for treatment options.
When to get help: Seek medical care for inability to urinate, severe pelvic pain, or prolapsed tissue that becomes discolored or won't reduce.
Source: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book
Comments & experiences ▾
A well-established, non-surgical option for women who want more support than exercise alone provides.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: A pessary is a rubber or plastic device placed in the vagina that physically props up the uterus and surrounding tissues, providing support that weakened muscles can no longer fully offer on their own.
- Talk with your doctor about whether a pessary is a good option for your degree of prolapse.
- Attend a fitting appointment where your provider selects the right size and shape for you.
- Learn how to insert, remove, and clean the pessary, or arrange regular visits for your provider to do this.
- Follow up as recommended to check for irritation or discomfort.
an office visit for fitting; the device can be used long-term · as directed by your provider, often with regular cleaning
Caution: Pessaries need regular cleaning and checkups to avoid irritation, ulcers, or unusual discharge. Not everyone is a good candidate for a pessary — your doctor can help you decide.
When to get help: Contact your doctor promptly for foul-smelling discharge, vaginal bleeding, pain, or difficulty removing the pessary.
Source: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book
Comments & experiences ▾
How the numbers work: a weighted voting system — trusted published sources cast endorsement votes for each protocol, and your ▲/▼ adds to them. Not medical advice.
🩺 When to see a doctor
- See a doctor if symptoms are severe, persistent, or worsening, or if you are unsure — natural supports are meant to complement, not replace, professional care.
🌿 The seven pathways to health
Seven pathways for your uterine prolapse — tap the circle to check one off (saved on your device), or ask Remy for help.
“Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health... In case of sickness 1cause should be ascertained, 2go to work intelligently to remove the disease. 3Unhealthful conditions should be changed, 4wrong habits corrected. 5Then nature is to be assisted in her effort 6to expel impurities and 7to re-establish right conditions in the system.”
🌿 Overview
Uterine prolapse occurs when the pelvic muscles and ligaments that hold the uterus in place become weakened or stretched — most often after childbirth, and especially after menopause when estrogen levels fall. Women who have given birth to several children, had difficult labor, or are obese are at highest risk. Prolapse is more common in white women, and most occur before age 55. When the uterus drops too far, the bladder may also prolapse into the vaginal wall (cystocele).
Uterine prolapse occurs when the muscles and ligaments of the pelvic floor weaken and can no longer fully support the uterus, allowing it to descend into or, in advanced cases, beyond the vagina. It causes a feeling of heaviness, dragging, or a bulge in the pelvis, and sometimes urinary or bowel symptoms or discomfort. It is more common after childbirth, with age and menopause, and with anything that raises abdominal pressure.
Milder prolapse often improves with conservative measures: pelvic-floor (Kegel) exercises to strengthen the supporting muscles, reaching a healthy weight, avoiding heavy lifting and straining, and treating constipation and chronic cough. A supportive device (pessary) can help, and more significant prolapse may need surgical repair. Because the right approach depends on the degree and symptoms, a persistent feeling of a bulge or heaviness, or any urinary or bowel difficulties, warrants a medical evaluation to confirm the diagnosis and discuss options.
Common signs
- A feeling of fullness or heaviness in the vagina.
- A dragging sensation or mild pain in the lower back.
- Increased frequency of urination.
- Difficulty urinating or defecating.
- A lump protruding into — or out of — the vagina.
- Leakage of urine when laughing or coughing.
🍃 Supporting foods & habits
The gentle, everyday foods and supports that help in the background — secondary to the active remedies above. Vote on what helped you.
Good hydration and a fiber-rich diet prevent the straining that worsens prolapse.1000
Pelvic-floor (Kegel) exercises and staying active help mild prolapse and ease symptoms.930
How the numbers work: this is a weighted voting system — every published book or article recommending a remedy counts as an endorsement vote, and your ▲/▼ counts too. Not medical advice. *Ties are broken by our editor score (sources, safety, simplicity, cost, lifestyle fit, eight-laws alignment).
🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
High-fiber diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts to prevent constipation (straining worsens prolapse). Take a full multivitamin. Vitamin C (2,000 mg) and bioflavonoids (100 mg) lessen bladder infections. Calcium (1,200 mg) and magnesium (1,000 mg) provide minerals to strengthen uterine support tissues.
⚖️ Good to know
- Severe prolapse with the uterus protruding completely outside the vagina requires surgical evaluation.
- Prolapse complicated by urinary retention (inability to urinate) is a medical emergency.
- Do not use tampons if there is prolapse.
⚕️ What a doctor may offerConventional treatments for this condition — for your information.Show ▾
RemedyRank's heart is natural healing — and honest information. Here is what conventional medical care commonly involves for this condition, listed to inform, never to promote. Decisions about treatment belong with you and your own physician.
Uterine prolapse is treated with pelvic-floor therapy, a pessary, or surgery.
Commonly offered
- Pelvic-floor (Kegel) exercises for mild cases–
- A vaginal pessary to support the uterus–
- Surgery for significant prolapse–
- Treating constipation and avoiding heavy lifting–
Worth knowing
- Tissue protruding with pain, bleeding, or trouble urinating needs care.
- It's common and treatable — don't suffer in silence.
- Weight management and avoiding straining help.
👍/👎 shares whether a treatment helped you — community experience, not medical advice. For full professional details, see the sources under “Learn more” below.
📚 Learn more
Sources for further reading. These open in a new tab.
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