• Bladder and Pelvic Health
• Uniquely Female

Suffer No More! Doctors for Bladder or Pelvic Floor Issues

If laughing is causing you to unexpectedly leak urine, you’re not alone. Millions of women experience exactly the same problem. If you’re having an issue, don’t be shy about bringing it up with your doctor. Chances are, he or she has treated many patients for urinary leakage or pelvic organ slippage. Read on for a quick overview of these common problems:

• Urinary incontinence: An unwanted leakage of urine can be triggered by a number of factors. Stress incontinence is linked to laughing, coughing, sneezing and exercise. Urge incontinence means a sudden strong urge to urinate, followed by an uncontrolled loss of urine. Also called overactive bladder, it can become worse with anxiety. When stress and urge incontinence both occur, this condition is called mixed incontinence. Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder fills normally but does not empty correctly. Urine flow is often weak and can be a constant dribble.
• Pelvic organ slippage: Also known as pelvic organ prolapse, or pelvic floor disorder (PFD), it occurs when pelvic organs such as the bladder or uterus slip or protrude into the vagina. The condition can be caused by obesity, chronic cough and constipation with straining. Symptoms include pressure in the vagina or pelvis, feeling unusually full in the lower abdomen and a lump at the opening of the vagina.

If you’re having an issue, don’t be shy about bringing it up with your doctor.

What kind of doctor is best?

Start with your primary care doctor. Your doctor may recommend a specialist with certification in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reproductive Surgery (FPMRS), such as a gynecologist, a urologist or a urogynecologist, also known as a urogyn. A urogynecologist is a medical doctor who has completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology or urology. He or she has received additional training and experience in evaluating and treating conditions that affect the female pelvic organs, as well as the muscles and connective tissue that support them. Common problems treated by a urogynecologist include urinary incontinence or leakage, pelvic organ prolapse and overactive bladder.

Source: Womenshealth.gov; American Urogynecologic Society; Lifestagescenters.com