Rectocele

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about the number of times that you've had a vaginal delivery, and about any problems, such as vaginal tears, you may have had with your deliveries. After reviewing your rectal and vaginal symptoms, your doctor also may ask about any urinary problems that suggest that you might have a cystocele as well as a rectocele.

In most cases, your doctor can confirm that you have a rectocele by doing a gynecological and a rectal examination. As you doctor examines you, he or she may ask you to strain or bear down as if you were trying to defecate. This straining maneuver should cause the rectocele to bulge, and allow the doctor to see the rectocele's size and location inside your vagina. At some medical centers, imaging tests of the rectum may be done to outline the size and location of the rectocele.

Expected Duration

A rectocele is a long-term condition that does not heal on its own. It may remain a minor problem or grow larger and more problematic with time.