If jumping jacks are off limits and hysterical laughter makes you leak urine, you might benefit from visiting a urogynecologist. Less bladder control is common among women, but you may have pelvic floor dysfunction if these issues affect your daily activities.
It’s not uncommon for women to experience symptoms that a urogynecologist treats, such as incontinence or pelvic prolapse. A 2008 National Institutes of Health report found nearly 24% of United States women experience pelvic floor disorders.
What is urogynecology?
A urogynecologist is a specialist who treats women experiencing pelvic floor disorders such as urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic floor and bladder pain. The pelvic floor comprises a network of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues that support the bladder, uterus and rectum.
Most people take this area’s complex system of voluntary and involuntary muscles for granted. When one area is weaker after childbirth, stress or aging, it can cause incontinence, loss of support or even pain.
Urogynecologists use non-surgical and surgical treatment options to improve the quality of life for women experiencing these conditions.
Signs you may need a urogynecologist
Women’s pelvic area discomfort can vary. Mild to moderate cramping around menstruation is common. Some women experience mild discomfort or a twinge of pain during ovulation, usually mid-cycle. Exercise, heavy lifting or prolonged sitting can lead to brief episodes of pelvic soreness that usually resolve independently.
Following are some symptoms that may require seeing a urogynecologist:
- Leaking urine during exercise or coughing
- Frequent or urgent urination
- Pelvic area pressure or a bulging sensation
- Recurring urinary tract infections (UTI’s)
- Difficulty emptying your bladder
- Loss of stool, known as fecal incontinence
- Bladder or pelvic floor pain
Common pelvic floor conditions urogynecologists treat
Many of the conditions urogynecologists treat are common. You may need to see a specialist when they are persistent, such as recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Following are some of the common conditions urogynecologists treat:
- Pelvic organ prolapse caused by pelvic organs slipping out of place
- Urinary and fecal incontinence
- Cystocele, or fallen bladder
- Bladder pain & interstitial cystitis
- Overactive bladder
- Fistulas
- Blood in urine
- Recurrent UTIs
- Urethral prolapse
Treatment options in urogynecology
“There is nothing more rewarding than helping a patient who will not go out in public due to the fear of wetting her clothes or smelling like urine, who undergoes a 5 minute botox injection or a 30 minute outpatient sling procedure and can go out for dinner without that fear the very next day” says Matthew J. Tompkins, M.D., is a board-certified urogynecologist specializing in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.
Urogynecologists offer both non-surgical and surgical treatments to address pelvic area disorders.
Exercise
Pelvic floor physical therapy can help manage urogynecological symptoms by strengthening your pelvic muscles, decreasing discomfort and improving bladder and fecal control.
Diet
Adjusting fluid intake and avoiding bladder irritants like caffeine or spicy foods can help improve issues like the urgent need to urinate.
Medication
Your urogynecologist may recommend treatment like pain medication, topical creams and bladder medication.
Procedure
If conservative treatment does not help, procedures such as bladder botox injections for overactive bladder or urethral bulking for incontinence may be an option.
Surgery
For more serious pelvic floor dysfunction, your urogynecologist may recommend surgical treatment, usually involving minimally invasive vaginal or robotic techniques.
A leaky bladder, vaginal bulging or incontinence can all be difficult to experience and even to discuss, but a urogynecologist is specifically trained to help.
Find a urogynecologist who can help you get back to doing what you love without bladder or pelvic area holding you back.
Call 757-782-6450 to schedule your consultation with Riverside Urogynecology Specialists.
