If you’re struggling with issues related to urinary incontinence, you’re not alone. Up to 45% of women have the same problem at some point in their lives.
Here at Virtuosa GYN, board-certified OB/GYN Susan Crockett, MD, is highly renowned for her work in treating conditions like urinary incontinence by using the most effective methods.
We understand how embarrassing and uncomfortable urinary incontinence can be, and we’re here to provide solutions that work for your life. In this post, we focus on when you should reach out for help and how we can end your embarrassment and get you back to your life.
When to ask for help
If you’re embarrassed, frustrated, or anxious about accidents, it’s time to ask for help. Urinary incontinence doesn’t tend to vanish. Unfortunately, it’s common for the condition to worsen with age, so the earlier you come to us for help, the less time you have to struggle.
Many women feel so embarrassed about urinary incontinence that they hesitate to even broach the topic during their well-woman checkups. You don’t have to worry about that at Virtuosa GYN.
Our team immediately makes you feel comfortable discussing your urinary problems. Rest assured, we’ve helped many women with the exact problems you’re facing, and we can find solutions for you through a detailed diagnostic process.
We ask you a number of questions to better understand what you’re dealing with. For example, we may ask you to keep a bladder diary that tracks urination, accidents, and fluid intake.
Dr. Crockett may perform tests, like urodynamic testing, ultrasound, cystoscopy, or cystogram to determine what kind of incontinence you have and what caused it.
The two main forms of incontinence are:
- Stress incontinence, which occurs due to pressure on the pelvic floor from laughing, exercise, coughing, and sneezing
- Urgency incontinence, when a powerful sudden urge leaves no time to get to the bathroom
Many women have mixed incontinence with features of both.
Embarrassed no more: Urinary incontinence solutions
We consider several factors in urinary incontinence treatment. What caused your incontinence, your type of incontinence, and your personal preferences all play a role. For the most part, urinary incontinence treatment doesn’t require surgery.
We have many options that can help, including:
- Bladder training that focuses on stretching your bladder to hold more urine
- Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
- Lifestyle changes to avoid potential accident triggers, such as caffeine and alcohol
- Removable pessary that sits inside your vagina and helps reduce stress incontinence
- Prescription medication, such as drugs that help stop bladder spasms
- Hormone replacement therapy to increase estrogen and improve vaginal and urinary tract tissue strength
There are other options to treat urinary incontinence. Most women respond positively to nonsurgical therapies. But in the event you need surgery, you can feel confident about your results.
Dr. Crockett is a master-level da Vinci® robotic surgeon who often performs procedures to permanently address underlying problems like pelvic organ prolapse using minimally invasive techniques.
Many of our patients agonize over urinary incontinence before they finally seek help, but there’s no need to do so. You can put your worries in our experienced hands and find a solution that sets you free.
Phone our office at 210-664-4753 or use our convenient online booking feature to set up your appointment now.
