Rectal Prolapse – Learning The Ins & Outs

The photo above shows a young male who sat on a commode for 30 minutes playing video games and after that time period, his rectum fell out or the word of the day – it prolapsed.

The Big Ugly word of rectal prolapse is when part of your lower part of your rectum (anus) decides to stick out or pop out and stay that way.  It can be very painful.  You might notice at first that it will pop out and you will wonder as you wipe “what in the world has happened?”  Then, it will go back in on its own.  Eventually, it will be out all the time.  It will be worse when you are standing or on your feet all the time.

You might wonder what has caused this to happen to your rectum so read on to see what some of the causes could be:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Pregnancy
• Straining to urinate because your prostate is swollen.
• Persistent
• Damage to your anus, rectum or your pelvis from prior
• Damage to your muscle that lays on pelvis floor.
• Bowel infections from specific microbes that care caused by certain parasites (such as schistosomiasis and amoebiasis).
• Nervous system diseases like multiple sclerosis.
• Back surgery that has caused damage to nerves, such as a slipped disc, or an accident that has injured the nerves in your pelvis.
• Some mental health issues that are known to be associated with constipation.
• Some medicines used in treating psychiatric disorders cause constipation.

In children, you may find that rectal prolapse can happen:

• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
• Malnutrition
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Hirschsprung’s Disease (this is a rare disorder that can cause stool to get stuck inside the intestinal tract.”
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
• Rectal Polyps.

Rectal prolapse is not caused by prolapse of the womb (uterus) or bladder, but you will find that sometimes it can be associated with it.

It seems that women are more likely to have rectal prolapse than men and it happens much more frequently in seniors.

Sometimes it is seen in children in the ages between one and three.

Some of the symptoms you may experience with rectal prolapse are:

• One of the first thing you will for sure notice is there seems to be a lump sticking out of your (anus) (hole in your butt). At first, it will probably only stick out after you have pooped or had to strain really  Then when you stand up, you wonder where it went because it disappears on you and you think you imagined it.
• But don’t worry, the little visitor will be back. If you have to strain for some reason, or a cough and even sneeze you might notice there is a lump!
• After a while, the visitor will be out of your butt all the time and will start to be a “problem” all the time no matter what you go to do. It might as well be a handle on a baseball bat sticking out of your rectum.
• If your doctor looks at your prolapse (that is what they will call it) and sees the lump sticking out, he will see all the rings around that part of the intestines. He may even notice that there is an ulcer (sore) on the part sticking out.
• You will look at some point more than likely notice constipation, pain, and some bleeding from your rectum. Remember, a few drops of blood in the commode looks like a quart.  Do not let it frighten you.
• The muscles surrounding the hole in your butt (anus) is called your anal sphincter, and that is what closes off and does not let your poop out. When you have prolapse, it will probably weaken, and some poop will start leaking out (it is called fecal incontinence).  You might also ooze out some “slime” (mucus) which is being produced all the time by your bowel wall.

Now two other things look sort of like a rectal prolapse.  There is something called a prolapsed intussusception.  Yeah, that is what I said too!  It happens when a part or section of your bowel folds itself into the next section of your colon, kind of the way a telescope folds up.  Sometimes that folded part pokes outside your butt hole (anus) and will look a lot like a rectal prolapse.

And there is something called a rectal polyp which I am sure you have all heard about on TV.  It is merely the thickening of the mucosa (lining) of your intestine (bowel) that starts to look like a little finger sticking out the inside of your gut.

If you have ever heard the older generation talking in a low voice, you might hear them say that they have had the “piles.”  It is a hemorrhoid.  It is a large vein that gets that way because you have been straining while trying to poop.  It can sort of look like a rectal prolapse as well.  It sticks out your butt hole (anus) as well.

Sometimes there are treatment options for prolapsed rectums that do not involve surgery.

• If the prolapse is small and has just happened, it can sometimes be shoved back in using only the pressure of your hand. If this hurts too much, your doctor can do it after he gives you an “I don’t care shot” and only a local anesthetic injected to that spot to numb it.  (OUCH!)
• If you have any diarrhea or constipation, then you should make sure it is nothing serious. It can cause a prolapse after a period.
• If you can’t push the prolapse back in and it stays in, you will have to see a surgeon.
• If you suffer from only a partial prolapse (that is just the lining of the gut that is popping out), it can usually be taken care of without any surgery.
• Elderly seniors, for the most part, can handle this situation by pushing the prolapse back in themselves. Sometimes though it will be necessary to have a rubber ring placed under the skin to keep the prolapse from coming back out.  This scenario is not always really successful because if the ring is too tight, it will cause constipation and if too loose the prolapse will show itself again.

And sometimes, as a last resort, you must break down and give in to surgery.  And there are pros and cons in regards to surgery.

Using a natural colon cleanser to keep your bowels moving naturally is a great way to avoid rectal prolapse.  It may not always work, but many have found it can or at least make a huge difference in their lives.