Ask Dr Miriam

QMy GP has said that I have a rectocele but didn’t suggest any treatment. I’m not sure what to do about it, it doesn’t bother me much, I just have a feeling of fullness in my back passage. A A rectocele is a bulge or hernia in the rectum caused by a weakness in the rectal wall. They’re most commonly caused by chronic coughing or chronic constipation because of straining to pass a stool.

The bulge starts off small causing no symptoms but if coughing and constipation continue it will get bigger and cause a sensation that makes you feel you want to empty your bowel a lot of the time. As we get older and our muscles get slacker, so anything like a rectocele (a cystocele of the bladder) could only become more troublesome and I think you should have some specialist attention. My suggestion is you ask your doctor to refer you to a gastroenterologist or a proctologist who can assess your rectocele and agree a plan with you about your future treatment.