Can you do yoga with rectal prolapse?

Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on September 04, 2024
00:00
00:00

Patients with rectal prolapse can engage in moderate exercise, but it is not recommended to perform exercises that involve significant abdominal strength or squatting movements. This is because excessive abdominal pressure or overexertion can increase intra-abdominal pressure, compressing the mucosa and tissue around the anus, thereby worsening the prolapse. If squatting exercises are performed over a long period, it could further aggravate the degree of rectal mucosal prolapse. Hence, patients with rectal prolapse may opt for gentler exercises like yoga, ensuring that the movements and methods do not exacerbate the condition of the rectal mucosa. Patients with rectal prolapse should seek surgical treatment as soon as possible, where the prolapsed mucosa is completely excised for recovery.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
59sec home-news-image

Can rectal prolapse cause rectal bleeding?

If it is a recurrent case of rectal prolapse, as the prolapsed mucosa appears at the anus and rubs against it repeatedly when the patient walks or moves, it can lead to mucosal rupture and bleeding. Therefore, in severe cases of rectal prolapse or when a complete prolapse occurs, there might be bleeding during defecation. The diagnosis of rectal prolapse requires an examination with an anoscope and defecography to make a definitive diagnosis. For mild rectal prolapse, one can treat it with oral medications that supplement and boost the body's vital energy, and this can be supplemented with herbal enemas. For severe cases of internal mucosal rectal prolapse or complete mucosal prolapse, it is advisable to undergo surgical removal of the excess mucosa through excision or suturing. This surgery can alleviate symptoms of discomfort and prevent other complications.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
1min 6sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of rectal prolapse?

Rectal prolapse is a common clinical disease in proctology, primarily affecting children, postpartum women, and the elderly. Symptoms of rectal prolapse include varying degrees of bloating and a feeling of falling at the anus. Sometimes, due to the accumulation of mucosa at the anal opening, normal defecation is impeded, leading to constipation and difficulty in bowel movement. To examine and diagnose rectal prolapse, an anoscopy is necessary. Under anoscopy, the relaxed mucosa that accumulates can be seen at the mirror opening. Treatment for rectal prolapse in children may involve the use of traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas, which can gradually alleviate the prolapse as the body's condition improves. For postpartum women or the elderly, treatment may also involve traditional Chinese medicine retention enemas in combination with surgical excision. The primary surgical procedure used is a Hemorrhoidal mucosal circular stapling operation.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
1min 4sec home-news-image

Causes of rectal prolapse

The causes of rectal prolapse primarily include older age or physical weakness leading to relaxation and sagging of the pelvic and rectal mucosa. Prolonged constipation can also lead to excessive straining during bowel movements, causing stress-induced sagging of the intestinal mucosa. Additionally, women who have gone through childbirth may experience rectal prolapse due to excessive straining of the pelvic floor muscles during delivery or increased abdominal pressure during pregnancy, which compresses the rectal mucosa. The treatment for rectal prolapse mainly consists of conservative medication or surgical removal. For mild cases of rectal prolapse, including those in children, traditional Chinese medicine enemas can be used. However, for moderate to severe cases, or cases where prolapse recurs frequently and significantly forms a complete prolapse, surgical removal is recommended.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
52sec home-news-image

How is rectal prolapse graded?

Rectal prolapse is generally graded into three degrees: first degree rectal prolapse, second degree rectal prolapse, and third degree rectal prolapse. First degree rectal prolapse is a relatively minor condition where the rectal mucosa protrudes but can retract back on its own. Second degree rectal prolapse is a moderate condition where the protruding mucosa extends approximately 5-10 centimeters, generally forming a conical shape, and requires the patient to manually reposition it. Third degree rectal prolapse indicates a severe condition, with the prolapsed mucosa typically extending beyond 10 centimeters. It may protrude with each incident and could also occur when the patient strains the abdomen or squats. The treatment of second and third degree rectal prolapse generally requires surgical intervention.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
57sec home-news-image

Can you get pregnant with rectal prolapse?

Patients with rectal prolapse can become pregnant, but if diagnosed with rectal prolapse before pregnancy, it is advisable to first surgically remove the prolapsed mucosa. This is because during pregnancy, as the fetus grows, the pressure in the abdominal cavity gradually increases. Female patients may experience worsening of the rectal prolapse due to increased abdominal pressure, which could lead to increased congestion and edema, thereby exacerbating the severity of existing hemorrhoids or the severity of the rectal prolapse. Therefore, if there are symptoms of rectal prolapse before pregnancy, surgical treatment is recommended. If rectal prolapse occurs during pregnancy, conservative treatment with traditional Chinese medicine enemas can be chosen, and surgery can be considered after childbirth.