Sometimes a cystocele doesn't cause symptoms. But if you have symptoms, you may feel pressure from your bladder pressing against the vaginal wall. You may feel like something is falling out of your vagina. Or you may have urinary problems.

A cystocele can be hard to diagnose. If it doesn't cause symptoms, it may be found during a routine exam. Or, you may be aware that there's a problem. But you might not be quite sure where it is or what is causing it. If your doctor thinks you may have a cystocele, your doctor will ask you questions about your past and current health. This includes questions about your history of childbirth. Your doctor will also do a physical exam. This includes doing a pelvic exam. And it sometimes includes a rectal exam.

Your doctor may order tests, especially if the cystocele is causing urinary problems. These tests may include urodynamic tests or imaging tests, such as ultrasound or MRI. Urodynamic tests show how your body stores and releases urine.

Doctors use a system to rank the level of the bladder's prolapse. Finding the exact level of prolapse helps you and your doctor decide which treatments are most likely to work for the long term. One standard set of rankings uses "stages" of prolapse. It's based on how close the lowest part of the bladder is to the opening of your vagina. Your doctor checks this during your physical exam.

A cystocele that doesn't cause symptoms may not need treatment. But if you have symptoms that bother you, you may want to think about treatment. Which treatment is best for you depends on how bad your symptoms are. And it depends on if you have other health problems. Other important factors are your age and sexual activity.

To treat a cystocele, your doctor may fit you with a pessary. This is a device that is placed into the vagina. It is removable—you can take it out and put it back in. It supports the area where the bladder presses down.

Exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles may help relieve some symptoms of a cystocele. These are called Kegel exercises.

Surgery may be an option if your symptoms don't get better with other treatments. You may also choose surgery if you prefer it over other options. But if you are thinking about getting pregnant in the future, you may want to wait to have surgery. If you have surgery and then give birth through the vagina, the strain on your pelvic muscles may cause your bladder to prolapse again.