There are a large number of female diseases that are detected after childbirth or in connection with age-related changes. One of these pathologies is cervical elongation. Knowing about such a disease, you can understand your condition at the first symptoms. The causes of the disease will tell you how to avoid the appearance of such a disease.
basic information
Elongation is the pathological lengthening of the cervix. In the normal state, the neck has a length of about 3 cm. During pregnancy, it increases to 4 cm. Small anatomical deviations are possible. But when the cervix and the uterus go beyond the vagina, then this is considered a painful condition.
Causes
Reasons for elongation of the cervix:
- the birth of a large child;
- a large number of births;
- violation of metabolic processes associated with a lack of collagen;
- congenital, hereditary anatomical abnormalities in the structure of internal organs;
The main causes of cervical elongation are the excessive loads that the muscles of the pelvis and abdominal wall receive. In a normal state, it becomes difficult for them to hold the uterus, and it sags, pulls the neck.
Manifestation of the disease
Cervical elongation can be detected without additional examination, ultrasound or tomography - it is enough to undergo a gynecological examination.
Symptoms of elongation:
- unpleasant sensations of heaviness in the lower abdomen associated with a change in the position of the internal organs;
- pain during sexual intercourse;
- sometimes a part of the uterus can protrude so low that it is injured when walking and bleeds;
- urinary incontinence during physical exertion (sneezing), emotions (laughter);
- the feeling of a foreign object in the vagina is often felt during hygiene procedures.
Such signs should alert the woman. In the near future you should get the advice of a gynecologist at his appointment.
Serious danger
Young girls often monitor their health, they understand that for the birth of children you need to have good health. Women aged, especially during menopause, when symptoms of elongation appear, do not rush to the doctor without fear for health.
Elongation of the cervix is dangerous at any age. The normal arrangement of organs in the abdominal cavity is disturbed. There is squeezing in one place, stretching in another. This is a favorable condition for the formation of a hernia. It is possible clamping of blood vessels, nerves. To restore the normal anatomical position of the internal organs is sometimes possible only with the help of surgical intervention.
Fear of surgery
It is the fear of surgery that stops many before a visit to the doctor. But the displaced uterus leads to infertility, making sexual activity impossible. The disease leads to serious problems in the urological field. Chronic cystitis develops, stones form, residual urine infects all parts of the urinary system. The blood supply to all organs in the abdominal region is disturbed, soft tissue edema begins. The biggest complication is uterine prolapse in women.
Treatment
The main treatment is surgery. When the prolapse of the uterus does not attach to the lengthening, only a small part of the cervix is amputated. But this option is rare. Usually, elongation of the cervix is a sign of prolapse of the uterus and the anterior wall of the vagina. During the operation, the elongated part of the cervix is amputated, the anatomically normal position of the uterus and the walls of the vagina is restored.
How exactly does an uterine prolapse in the diagnosis go?
In the presence of old scars on the neck or its deformation, partial removal is performed. With severe hypertrophy (increase), change, the neck is completely amputated. In special cases, a complete removal is carried out. With any type of surgical intervention, a special plastic is performed to suture the ligaments and muscles of the pelvic floor. This will prevent further pelvic prolapse.
Another option for surgery, if there is a prolapse of the uterus in women, is ventrofixation. In this case, the uterus is sutured to the abdominal mesh using a special surgical mesh. Removal does not occur.
The disadvantages of the operation may be:
- difficulties with bearing a child;
- significant narrowing of the cervical canal.
For women planning a pregnancy, a special organ-preserving technique has been developed. On it, a gradual, neat shortening of the neck, the design of a well-traversed cervical canal is performed. Ligaments are also strengthened to prevent relapse of the disease.
Preventative measures
In order for the elongated cervix not to appear, certain actions must be performed. It is necessary to start in advance, and not when making a diagnosis.
Prevention recommendations:
- normalize nutrition, provide the body with a sufficient amount of vitamins, minerals;
- strengthen the pelvic floor muscles with special exercises: recommended fitness, swimming, Nordic walking, running;
- calculate physical activity, abandon strength training, weight lifting;
- maintain normal body weight;
- eliminate the causes of constipation;
- regularly visit a gynecologist, follow the doctor's recommendations.
For prevention after childbirth, the muscles of the pelvic floor are strengthened by electrical stimulation, laser therapy. To train the muscles of the vagina, special simulators are used in the form of weights of various weights. They must be kept in the vagina for a long time. In some cases, a gynecological massage with hormonal creams is prescribed.
Folk remedies
Exercises for training the muscles of the vagina, pelvic floor can be included in the morning exercise complex from school times. Mom can teach her daughter, before it was considered preparation for childbirth. By the way, such trained muscles are very useful in sexual activity.
In a sitting position, you need to squeeze your knees. This must be done so hard to feel the tension. Exercise can be done at work, on the bus, at any opportunity. It is better to do 10 repetitions at a time, so that the muscles get a load.
Then sitting, you need to tighten the pelvic muscles in such a way as to raise the perineum. Do the exercise 10 times. Blood circulation in this area will increase, the pelvic muscles will strengthen. These two exercises seem simple and easy. They are very effective if they are done 10 times a day, performing 10 repetitions.
Exercise "bike" helps a lot. Lying on your back, you need to twist with your raised legs, imitating cycling. In this case, it is necessary to load the muscles not of the abdomen, but of the hips.
Lying on your side, put your right foot back behind the left. Raise it up without bending. Repeat 15–20 times. Then change legs. Well stimulate the strengthening of the muscles of the pelvic floor, abdominal wall, walking with half squats, walking with raising the knees to the stomach at right angles. This exercise is advisable to perform constantly. Two months later they will become a habit. If we remember their important role in maintaining health, then quitting will be difficult. Warm baths with decoctions of herbs - lemon balm, evening primrose, dandelion, lily root are useful. Kegel exercises are suitable for strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor, although they are designed to combat hemorrhoids.
These are the basic tips of a gynecologist.
Forecast
Timely seeking medical help, the implementation of all the recommendations of a doctor helps to solve the problem. Correction of an elongated cervix is a proven technique, but a lot depends on the woman herself. It is necessary to change the way of life - to devote more time to your health, physical exercises.
A sedentary lifestyle contributes to stagnation of blood in the pelvic region, this negatively affects women's health. Be sure to reconsider your everyday habits. Move more, sit less.
Even if a woman no longer plans a pregnancy, is in old age, elongation still requires treatment. The disease can lead to serious consequences, do not bring to a critical state. When the first signs appear, you need to consult a gynecologist. At the initial stage, the disease is easier to treat.
Elongation (prolapse of the uterus) does not prevent pregnancy. When carrying a child, especially in the later stages, care must be taken, follow the recommendations of doctors. The prognosis will be favorable with the joint efforts of a woman and a gynecologist.
Risk groups
A woman of any age should take care of her health. If ladies of advanced age understand this, then girls in adolescence do not always think about the future. Fashionable modern hobby for occupations in gyms, certainly, is useful. But girls should reasonably approach strength training, remember that they are future mothers.
In addition to enthusiastic athletes, a risk group for elongation of the cervix includes women suffering from constipation, having hemorrhoids. Strong stress during bowel movements adversely affects the neck. With bronchial asthma, other pulmonary diseases, strong constant tension harms the muscles of the pelvis.
A change in the hormonal level that occurs during menopause can cause the onset of many female problems, including elongation. The pelvic floor muscles lose their elasticity, strength, the neck lengthens, there is a risk of uterine prolapse.
Women are most at risk of elongation during pregnancy. Normally, the uterus is located in the central part of the pelvis. They hold her ligaments, which are attached to the pelvic bones and sacrum. The muscles of the perineum apparatus are supported below.
During pregnancy, the uterus increases. If the birth is normal, then after a certain time, all organs return to their usual places. With rapid childbirth, their stimulation, tearing, the ligaments are torn or greatly stretched. In such cases, uterine prolapse occurs, and with it the elongation of the cervix.
Conclusion
Cervical elongation is common. Every third woman faces such a problem, but not all seek qualified help. This attitude to one’s health cannot be justified by embarrassment. The well-being of children and families depends on the woman’s health. Such diseases will not go away on their own, they only intensify, become complicated. This is dangerous elongation of the cervix. An operation is undesirable, but sometimes necessary.
Alternative methods of treatment complement the main methods, but do not eliminate the problem. For preventive examinations to the gynecologist must come once a year. This is not a simple rule, but a preventive measure to detect many unpleasant diseases.