Urinary Incontinence
Advanced Care For Urinary Incontinence.
Female urinary incontinence is embarrassing, uncomfortable and surprisingly common. Between 50% and 70% of women will experience some form of incontinence in their lifetime.
Yet only about half of those women who endure regular or persistent incontinence will seek medical help for it. Because of the complexities and interdependent nature of the female anatomy, many of these women will receive treatments that might overlook or ignore other important health concerns.
Of the more than 13 million people in the United States who experience incontinence, women experience incontinence twice as often as men. Pregnancy and childbirth, menopause and the structure of the female urinary tract and pelvic floor account for the difference.
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There are two main types of urinary incontinence:
- Stress Incontinence – Occurs during certain activities like coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercise.
- Urge Incontinence – Involves a strong, sudden need to urinate followed by instant bladder contraction and involuntary loss of urine. You don’t have enough time between when you recognize the need to urinate and when you actually do urinate.
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Causes Of Urinary Incontinence:
- Medications (e.g., diuretics, antidepressants, tranquilizers, some cough & cold remedies & antihistamines)
- Increased urine amounts (e.g., from poorly controlled diabetes)
- Pregnancy
- Severe constipation causing bladder pressure
- Urinary tract infection or inflammation
- Weight gain
- Bladder cancer
- Bladder spasms
- Depression
- Neurologic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, stroke & Parkinson’s disease
- Nerve or muscle damage after pelvic radiation
- Pelvic prolapse – falling of the bladder, urethra or rectum into the vaginal space after multiple pregnancies & deliveries
- Problems with urinary tract structure (e.g., urethral diverticuli)
- Spinal injuries
- Weakness in the circular muscles responsible for controlling urine flow after vaginal surgery
Dr. Walshe’s approach to incontinence problems is scientific, individualized and comprehensive, including advanced urodynamic testing not offered by most general gynecologists.
Dr. Walshe has also developed and perfected a transvaginal surgery technique that promotes faster healing and leaves no holes or scars. In many cases, his procedure results in better outcomes for the patient. Once he’s diagnosed the cause of your problem, Dr. Walshe provides the most appropriate, most effective treatment the first time, helping you avoid recurrence. As a leader in urogynecologic care, Dr. Walshe offers minimally invasive surgery, bowel and bladder retraining, special therapeutic exercises, dietary counseling and more.
Perhaps Dr. Walshe can help you, too, especially if previous incontinence treatments have produced unsatisfactory results. Call Atlantic Urogynecology in Suffolk, Virginia and Serving the Hampton Roads area at 877-UROGYN7.
Please visit our Patient Education Library to learn more about Urinary Incontinence.
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