Feb
14
Pelvic floor disorders, including urinary and fecal incontinence as well as prolapse, affect 1 in 4 non‑pregnant women. Not surprisingly, the incidence increases with age from 10% in their 20’s to almost 50% in their 80’s, and also with bodyweight. Specifically, 1 in 6 women report concerns about bladder control. A recent study reported that incontinent women spend on average $900 per year on protective pads or laundry. Yet, most afflicted women remain silent because of embarrassment.
Kegel exercises are the foundation of most pelvic floor rehabilitation programs for incontinence, yet are challenging for women to perform long term. 
Over the past decade, synthetic urethral slings have become the gold standard for surgical correction of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which is when a person loses urines with activities like coughing, sneezing, laughing, or lifting. Because these outpatient, minimally invasive procedures improve or resolve over 85% of cases and allow women to return to regular activities in just a few days, they have become very appealing solutions for women, whether busy mothers or elderly adults.
Alternatively, Renessa is an office-based treatment that shrinks the collagen around the urethra for women with SUI. It is an excellent solution for women who have not finished having babies or wish to avoid the operating room. Afterwards, over half the women report a 50% reduction in the number of incontinent episodes, and 45% are dry on pad testing.
An abundance of over active bladder (OAB) medications are now available to treat the most common cause of urinary incontinence. These women classically experience leakage after urgency or without exertion as is typical of SUI. Helping women understand reasonable goals, like improvement by an objective measure, such as discipline use of a one-week bladder diary (70% in one study), and empowering them about dose escalation during the first month of treatment; have been shown to improve compliance with continuing with these medications.
Finally, a woman tolerating prolapse symptoms, such as a bulge in her vagina, or difficulty voiding or defecating; may be interested to learn that a pessary or vaginal reconstructive procedure are solutions. The success rate and durability are significantly enhanced by using synthetic grafts that work like a hammock to support the bladder.
However little can be done to improve a women’s quality of life until a she voices her concerns about these embarrassing problems to her doctor.
Wishing you good health,
Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Avenue, Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
www.WomensHealthFremont.com
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