Learn About Various Degrees Of Rectal Prolapse
If you feel like you are sitting on a ball after emptying bowels, or if you observe that you have something spiking out of the opening (your anus) where you poop, you could have what is named as rectal prolapse. Prolapse means that a body portion has slithered or tumbled down from its usual position. Rectal prolapse is when the rectum — the bottom portion of your large intestine — dribs down towards or outside your anus. While that might sound scary, it is normally not considered a medical emergency. However, the longer you have the ailment, the worse it can get. And living with rectal prolapse can cause discomfiture and influence your quality of life too.
Types or stages of rectal prolapse
Rectal prolapse is graded according to its severity, including:
- Internal prolapse – the rectum has prolapsed, but not so far as to slip through the anus. This is also known as incomplete prolapse
- Mucosal prolapse – the interior lining of the rectum protrudes through the anus
- External prolapse – the whole thickness of the rectum obtrudes via the anus. This is also known as complete or full-thickness prolapse. If you wonder what is stage 3 prolapse, this is it.
Symptoms
Supplementary symptoms of rectal prolapse can consist of:
- Feeling a protuberance outside your anus
- Seeing a red mass outside your anal opening
- Discomfort in the anus or rectum
- Bleeding from the rectum
- Leaky blood, poop, or mucus from the anus
