At least fifty percent (50%) of women have bladder control issues that include leakage with urgency and/or with coughing, laughing, and activities. Women often avoid exercising due to the embarrassment of leakage during the activities. Recent advances have made it possible for women to no longer wear diapers or pads for bladder leakage! In order to accomplish this and prior to any treatment decision, Dr. Soo Kwon may perform urodynamics (bladder function studies) and office cystoscopy (to rule out any problem inside the bladder). This will determine the cause and best treatment for the bladder condition. To learn more about your treatment options for bladder control issues, call Park Avenue Urogynecology in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, or book a consultation online today.
Bladder leakage can be the result of many different problems including the weakness of pelvic floor muscles. The underlying issue of leakage from urgency and activity are different, resulting in the need for different treatment modalities. The majority of the treatments do not involve surgery, as the problems may be the symptom of conditions like diabetes, bladder stones, urinary tract infections and neurologic disorders. In some cases, leakage with urgency can result from medications or excessive alcohol use.
For leakage with activities like coughing, laughing and exercise, treatment options vary depending on the patient's desire. These include pelvic floor physical therapy, pessary, and outpatient surgery.
If you have leakage of urine that bothers you, especially if you are using pads or diapers, or prevents you from participating in activities that you enjoy such as exercising, sex, and playing with your kids, you should be evaluated.
Also, if you often feel like your bladder is full and you are having difficulty emptying, you should be evaluated. If left untreated, this problem can lead to a permanent injury to your kidney, a major consequence of non-treatment.
You will receive a comprehensive physical exam and a thorough review of your personal and family history and diagnostic studies by Dr. Kwon.
There are several treatments Park Avenue Urogynecology offers to treat the underlying causes of bladder control issues.
Depending on your needs, Dr. Kwon may recommend treatments like:
Botox is a medication that is injected into the bladder muscle to treat patients with bladder urgency, frequency, and leakage. It is FDA-approved for this indication and has been extensively studied. It is effective by temporarily relaxing bladder muscle spasms that can last up to one year with minimal side effects.
Patients who would like conservative treatment will be referred to a pelvic floor physical therapist for treatment of bladder leakage if indicated.
Sling surgery is a minimally invasive procedure performed on an outpatient basis to treat leakage with activities. It is FDA-approved and is the most commonly performed procedure in the US to treat this type of bladder problems, having excellent success and minimal complications.
If you have had sling surgery previously that has failed, Dr. Kwon may recommend revision with other types of anti-incontinence surgery.
To schedule a diagnostic evaluation for bladder control issues, call Park Avenue Urogynecology today or book an appointment online.
