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Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Experts
Pessary Fittings
Giving Women the Support They Need.
What is a pessary?
A pessary is a medical device made out of silicone that is designed to support the vaginal wall and pelvic organs. It can help with symptoms related to pelvic organ prolapse such as heaviness, pressure, and bulging of tissues. It can also help with urinary incontinence such as with physical activity, sneezing, or coughing for example.
How do I know which type of pessary I need?
Based on your symptoms and the assessment findings, your physiotherapist will trial different types and sizes in order to recommend the right pessary for you. Your physiotherapist will ask you to walk around, jog, squat, lift weights, cough while trialing the pessary to ensure your symptoms have resolved.
Do I Need a Doctor's Referral?
You do not require a doctor's referral to come to our Pessary Clinic and be fitted for a pessary.
In order to fit you for a pessary we do request that your physician complete our referral form to confirm your vaginal tissues are healthy so you can wear a pessary and to confirm there is no medical reasons why you cannot wear a pessary. You will also need to see your physician yearly to ensure the vaginal tissues remain healthy. Sometimes, your physician may prescribe vaginal estrogen prior to wearing your pessary and/or while wearing your pessary to help build up the strength of the vaginal walls.
After your appointment, we will send a letter to your physician to communicate our assessment findings and which pessary is recommended.
What do you learn during your pessary fitting appointment?
During our fitting session, you must be willing to self manage your pessary and complete follow up recommendations.
We will teach you how to:
- insert and remove the pessary on your own
- teach you how to clean the pessary
- review possible complications
Booking a Pessary Fitting Appointments
The first step is to book a Pelvic Physiotherapy Virtual Assessment (30 minutes) with our pessary fitter and physiotherapist Jennifer Alexander. During this appointment we will complete a thorough medical history, discuss how a pessary may help your symptoms, the risks with a pessary and your responsibilities. If you decided to move forward with a pessary, you will be provided with a form for your physician to complete, where he/she will screen for any medical contraindications and ensure that vaginal estrogen is not required prior to wearing your new pessary.
The next step is to schedule your Physiotherapy Pessary Fitting Appointment. During this appointment, the physiotherapist will trial different shapes and sizes of pessaries to determine which pessary provides an optimal fit. If we cannot determine which is the best fit during this appointment, an additional follow-up may be required.
Please note: This appointment is one hour in length and is billed at $185 which includes a $40 sterilization fee.
Instead of coming in for a second fitting appointment, if time permits, some clients are requesting to stay longer until we find the best fit, at which point the rate of $145/hour will be billed.
Once we find a pessary that provides an optimal fit and support, we will provide you with a referral form and information on where you can purchase the pessary. Or we may have your type and size in clinic for purchase that you can take home the same day.
After your pessary fitting appointment, you will need to come in for a Follow Up Pessary Fitting Appointment 2 weeks after wearing. We need to ensure your vaginal tissues are tolerating the pessary well.
For some patients, we can find the optimal pessary during the first fitting appointments, for others, it may take a few sessions to find the most appropriate size and shape.
What are the complications of wearing a pessary?
A pessary is a safe device that you learn to insert and remove on your own. Complications and side effects can be avoided if you follow the recommendations given by your pelvic health physiotherapist and your doctor. The most common symptoms associated with pessary use include increased vaginal secretions or at times, very mild spotting. However, more serious side effects can happen, such as vaginal tissue chafing and infection. That is why it is especially important that you know how to remove the pessary, use good cleaning procedures, and know when to seek medical care. Using a vaginal moisturizer or prescribed vaginal estrogen can reduce these risks.
Can I wear a pessary while pregnant?
It is not recommended that you wear a pessary during pregnancy.
Can I wear a pessary while menstruating or with an IUD?
Yes you can wear your pessary while you are menstruating however you cannot use a tampon or menstrual cup at the same time. Some women purchase two pessaries and use one specifically for when when menstruating.
Yes, pessaries can be safely used if you have an IUD.
Can I have intercourse with a pessary?
Most pessaries will have to be removed for intercourse, however, the ring pessary maybe left in for vaginal intercourse if comfortable.
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