The Right Pelvic Floor Support Garments To Help You With Pelvic Organ Prolapse

 

It’s not quite your everyday Spanx, but it helps “hold it all in,” and just a little more.

Behold, pelvic floor support garments to help you “keep it all in” in terms of the pelvic organ prolapse you may be experiencing.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) is that condition where either your vagina, bladder, or urethra protrudes or prolapses from its original position. And pelvic floor support garments help a pelvic organ prolapse patient stay comfortable through the additional pressure that these garments provide.

According to the University of ChicagoCenter for Pelvic Health via the US National Institute of Health, the following statistics depict the prevalence of pelvic health issues among women:

20-29 years old: 10% have pelvic health issues
40-59 years old: 27% have pelvic health issues
60-79 years old: 37% have pelvic health issues

The Spanx analogy is a bit on point. While Spanx “keeps it all in” and makes the body look toned and svelte under garments, pelvic floor support garments also “keep it all in.” It lets the pelvic organ prolapse patient not only look better in everyday wear, but also move comfortably, and regain a more normal lifestyle.

In this article, we’ll discuss the following topics:

Living with a Prolapse

 

Your pelvic floor muscles are endurance muscles that hold your bowel, uterus, and bladder in place within your pelvic area. Ideally, these muscles must be strong and tight to support the abdominal and pelvic organs and keep them their function intact. When these muscles weaken, the organs kept in, naturally, will have the potential to “slip into” or “slip out” of the vagina.

Hence, POP happens when the muscles of the pelvic floor, including the tissues and ligaments which hold the organs to the pelvic wall, become torn, stretched, or weakened. POP, as well as incontinence secondary to weakened pelvic floor muscles, are becoming a major problem for women. The condition often requires pelvic floor strengthening exercises, physiotherapy, and at times surgery to rectify the problem.

This is the reason your nurse or midwife will continually emphasize the need for you to perform pelvic floor exercises (e.g., Kegel) throughout and after your pregnancy. It is crucial that women of all ages perform Kegel exercises, especially after childbirth, and around menopause, and even after.

While prevention is often better than cure, if you are already experiencing POP, you need to talk with your healthcare provider for the best options for treatment and management.

Moreover, we know that living with a prolapse brings persistent lower back pain, and the discomfort of increased vaginal discharge, not to forget, pain during sexual contact. Thus, most women become upset or even depressed and cope by looking for different solutions to living with this limiting and uncomfortable condition.

With mild symptoms, sustaining a healthy weight, avoiding heavy lifting, and performing special exercises can significantly help. Others are recommended the use of a vaginal pessary to help with persistent symptoms.

Many women nowadays use pelvic floor support garmentsthat are endorsed or recommended by healthcare providers to aid in relieving the constant, heavy, “bulging” feeling in the pelvic and vaginal area.

Common Factors That Contribute to Prolapse:


Obesity
Pregnancy
Hormonal changes
Aging
Childbirth (via the vagina)
Severe/long-term Coughing
Straining when moving bowels
Menopause
Lifestyle choices
Constipation
Occupation-related factors

 

Finding the Right Pelvic Floor Support Garments

 

Are you looking for the perfect support for your prolapse instead of going under the knife? Or maybe, you want to start using pelvic floor support garments while waiting for your surgery?

Either way, a range of pelvic floor support wear could manage the discomfort that is associated with your POP. Even pregnant women can use these products as these are adjustable, discreet under clothing, and often offer just the right support you need. Although, before wearing pelvic floor support, you may want to ask for sizing advice, to find that perfect fit.

Whether in the form of pants, belts, or underwear, the right support products can ease the pain and/or discomfort that you’re having. If you plan to wear these garments for long, as you work to increase your pelvic floor strength, or just until the time of your surgery, you should feel supported and comfortable along your journey.

 

Practical Benefits of Wearing Pelvic Floor Support Garments:

Help reduce the feeling of “everything falling out”
Reduce the general feeling of heaviness
Provide upward compression and support to the pelvic floor
Provide a sense of comfort and reassurance
Protect the abdominal and pelvic organs from downward displacement
Reduce muscular stress
Allows you to enjoy regular physical activities
Reduce incontinence problems
Reduce pelvic discomfort
Help prevent embarrassing events (e.g., urinary leakage, prolapse discomfort)

 

Pelvic Floor Support Garments Options

 

The use of pelvic floor support garments and undergarments is a work-in-progress. Many designers, often women who understand or have experienced the condition, come up with products that are being marketed to “hold the insides up” effectively while supporting the vaginal area.

Some women argue that not everyone’s symptoms will be resolved by wearing these customized pants, belts, and underwear. While others testify to achieving comfort and pain-free everyday living with these garments in place.

Here are some of the more popular pelvic floor support garments:  

Hide-A-Way: While it looks like a regular male supporter, it was actually designed and created by a woman who had bladder prolapse and couldn’t find a design that suited her needs. She ended up creating her own garment, which looks pretty discreet, and even sexy!

It can be worn under or over underwear, providing support and comfort. It serves to stop a prolapse from going downhill port the organs, but it also provides pain relief for vulva and is effective in reducing the pain that goes with the condition.
Easy to wear and lightweight
The elastic adjustment is in front of the garment for easy access.
Hide-a-way has shown to support the beginning stages (1 & 2) of a protruding prolapse.

V-Brace: While it’s a little unsightly and looks more like an adult diaper than a regular pelvic organ prolapse garment, the V-Brace by Fembrace, is a patented design that’sactually pretty excellent in that it prioritizes comfort over aesthetics. Not only does it support the organs, it also provides pain relief for vulvar varicose veins.

The V-Brace is a garment-like support truss that includes an elastic waistband with adjustable straps that fit through sleeves in the crotch of the panty to support the vaginal area.
It consists of two independent but joined parts: the V-Brace panty, and the V-Brace support truss.
Additionally, the panty is machine washable, can hold ice packs for further pain relief, and is detachable from the brace.  
This cross-elastic truss is considered revolutionary support for the relief of symptoms of pregnancy-related varicose veins of the vulva, and POP.

V2 Supporter: It’s the pelvic floor support garment designed for pregnant women. If you’ve been suffering from unbearable pain during your pregnancy, this may be the solution for you. It’s as compact and discreet as Hide-A-Way but has more coverage and support for women carrying a new life within their own bodies. Like some of their customers, maybe this is the pregnancy discomfort solution that will bring you to tears of joy the moment you open the package.

The V2 Supporter is worn over your underwear. Wearing it just before rising in the morning, has shown to prevent excessive swelling of the veins at the vulvar area among preggies. It consists of an elastic crotch area and waistband, together with straps that can be adjusted to alter the amount of lifting and support needed.
Generally considered safe, convenient, and effective
Lightweight, with soft material
Machine washable
Measurements are taken below the bony pelvis/love handles at the top of your hip (the belt sits low)
Recommended for varicosities, swelling, incontinence, and POP

Femicushion: Femicushion is your pelvic organ prolapse solution if you cannot wear a vaginal pessary. It has a cushion that supports and pushes in the prolapsed organs, holders that absorb urine, and supporters (worn like underwear) that keeps the cushion steady, so you wouldn’t need to wear another device. This can be the all-in-one kit you’ll ever need for POP relief!

It comes with changeable and disposable cushions that will allow you to keep the device and garment clean and hygienic.
This medical device kit has been designed with the cushion providing support to the vaginal opening, while its holder and supporter securely push the cushion upward to prevent gravity from displacing your prolapse.
Femicushion typically uses a flexible and soft silicone cushion for gentle support of organs inside the body, and to help women return to their active lifestyles.
To order the correct size, measure around your navel (horizontal) over bare skin. Femicushion is typically effective if the horizontal belt on the supporter is the right fit over the waist. Be careful to select the size based on your measurement, and the manufacturer’s size categories.  

EVB Sport Female Pelvic Support Products: For the active woman who needs core support, EVB Sport thought of you. Their activewear line covers briefs, to shorts, to capri leggings, and even full leggings that will help compress and provide support to a woman’s core, while taking care of the pelvic areas. The elastic high-waist with compression uplift design holds the prolapse and prevents the feeling of your insides bouncing up and down.  

Hence, these are not your regular yoga pants. These stylish pieces are where science meets sport, for a woman’s ultimate activewear comfort. Below are more EVB pelvic support options for you:

1. EVB Sport Pelvic Support Pants: Customized to provide reassuring comfort and uplifting compression to the pelvic floor and endurance muscles that are constantly challenged and tested by the high demands of women’s active lifestyles and daily activities  
2. EVB Pelvic Floor Support Belts: Provides additional support and alleviates the pain and discomfort of POP, stress incontinence, vulvar varicosities, and perineal swelling
3. EVB Sport Pelvic Support Boxer Brief: Ideal for everyday use, for leisure and recreational activities, exercise, sports, and training
o With six different sizes for the perfect fit
o Smooth and silky texture for all-day comfort
o Can be worn under all kinds of clothing, evening wear, or sportswear
o Available in nude and black colors

 

4. EVB Sport Pelvic Support Shorts: Perfect for outdoor and indoor exercising, workouts, running, jogging, and sports training
o To get the perfect fit, these go by the size of your waist
o Boasts a triple-layer strength feature
o Integrates lower back support and pelvic joint control
o With moisture wicking, and made of top-grade anti-bacterial materials

 

5. EVB Sport Pelvic Support Capris: Provides reassuring pelvic support, alignment, and up to below-the-knee leg coverage
o With a compression uplift support feature for the pelvic floor muscles
o Activates the front and side abdominal wall muscles
o Comes with a unique mesh-lining that can hold a pad securely

 

6. EVB Sport Pelvic Support Leggings: The right choice for exercise and running during the colder seasons, or anywhere and anytime with lower temperatures
o You’ll feel “pulled up and in” with its added pelvic and abdominal support
o Supports the lower back and removes pressure from the pelvic floor
o To ensure the perfect fit, these leggings go by the waist size
o Made from top-grade fabrics with triple-layer strength to support you from the most arduous work-outs

 

Support Pantyhose: For some women, wearing a support pantyhose provides sufficient core support. Some women testify that good quality ones do work and can hold everything in place. You can simply adjust this tight-fitting legwear to meet your needs. What’s more, you can cut the leg part off the hosiery or even the slits in the waistband to your comfort, to achieve your preferred tightness.

 

You should be cautious, though that when wearing the support pantyhose, too tight support can cause more harm than good. Too much pressure can, at times, cause more downward pressure and worsen the prolapse.

 

Takeaway

 

Living with a pelvic organ prolapse or a similar condition is not easy. It is a discomfort that may even come with pain. Aside from the idiosyncratic feeling of things “falling out,” there is also a range of discomfort and pain that no woman would wish to bear even for a day. Thus, there is just nothing quite like the relief of finding solutions to the condition. With the aforementioned pelvic floor support garments to help you “keep it all in,” hopefully, life goesright back to normal as soon as you slip into one of those.

When selecting among the various options, choose the perfect garment that will give you the right abdominal and pelvic support, and make you look and feel better. Talk to a trusted supplier or online seller, and get the right sizing, so you never have to worry about embarrassing and limiting incidents while you’re living the active life you deserve.  


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