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My Urinary Incontinence Is Embarrassing: Can You Help?
We acknowledge that urinary incontinence can be embarrassing, but we also want to underscore the point that it’s probably more common than you think. More than 25 million adults in the United States report urinary incontinence, and the majority (75-80%) are women.
As a Gynecologist, a women’s health expert, Dr. Gary Willen at Tahoe Women’s Care is keenly aware of the quality-of-life issues that can stem from urinary incontinence, and he can help.
Here’s a look at why women are more susceptible to this embarrassing problem and how we can help you regain control over your urinary continence.
Why women?
There are several reasons why women are more prone to developing urinary incontinence, including:
Pregnancy
When you’re pregnant, the growing fetus places more pressure on your bladder, leading to stress incontinence. Thankfully, this type of incontinence is temporary.
Childbirth
Unfortunately, even if your pregnancy-related stress incontinence clears up after you give birth, the delivery itself may cause you to lose structural support in your urinary tract, leading to ongoing problems with incontinence.
Menopause and aging
As you age, you slowly lose certain reproductive hormones, namely estrogens, which help support tissue health in your reproductive organs. When you pass through menopause, your levels of estrogen drop precipitously, which can lead to weakened bladder support and a prolapsed bladder, which means your bladder shifts out of place.
To put some numbers to this problem, more than 40% of women over the age of 65 have urinary incontinence.
Solutions for incontinence
There are many solutions for incontinence, and your first step is to come see us so that we can fully evaluate the problem. Once we identify the reason behind your incontinence, we recommend a treatment plan that will best solve the problem.
For example, if weakened support systems are leading to incontinence issues, our first step is pelvic floor exercises. These exercises target the muscles and tissues that hold your bladder in place and strengthen them.
If your incontinence doesn't improve through exercises, we can insert a support device, such as a pessary, or inject a bulking solution into your urethra. We also offer the innovative MonaLisa Touch® technology that delivers radiofrequency energy into your vaginal tissues to help restore vaginal tissue health (and better bladder support).
In severe cases, we may recommend surgical solutions, such as correcting pelvic organ prolapse or creating a sling for your bladder.
If you’re struggling with an overactive bladder, we may suggest electrical stimulation or a medication group called anticholinergics, which block certain neurotransmitters that are interfering with the communication between your brain and the nerves around your bladder.
We also recommend bladder training, which helps you better control your urges to urinate and when you need to urinate.
As you can see, we offer a wide range of solutions for urinary incontinence, so there's no reason for you to live with the embarrassing problem longer than is necessary. To get started on finding relief from urinary incontinence, contact our office in Carson City, Nevada, to set up a consultation.
If you have any questions, please use the chat feature on our website to get the information that you need. www.TahoeWomensCare.com
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