You Don't Have To Live With Incontinence
Incontinence is never "normal." Unfortunately, many women believe it is and are too embarrassed to talk about it. Columbia St. Mary’s can help almost any patient improve, if not eliminate, their incontinence.
Types Of Incontinence
Stress Incontinence:
This is the leaking of urine when exercising, moving or doing other activities that put stress on the bladder. The pelvic floor muscles become weak and cause the bladder to fall out of position.
Symptoms:
• Leaking urine when sneezing, coughing or laughing
• Leaking urine when getting up from a chair or bed
Urge Incontinence:
This occurs when the bladder muscle becomes hyperactive resulting in an uncontrollable urge to urinate. Leakage or discharge may occur even when the bladder is nearly empty. Urge incontinence is caused by an actual muscle malfunction, emotional stress or a nerve condition such as Parkinson's disease or a stroke.
Symptoms:
• Leaking urine before getting to the bathroom and/or
• Urinating often, sometimes every two hours during the day and evening
Diagnosis
The experienced staff at Columbia St. Mary’s Continence Services uses several techniques to diagnosis incontinence. They include:
Treatment Options
Under the guidance of a physician, specially trained therapist or nurse, a wide range of successful treatments are available.
Behavioral Approaches:
Relaxation and diet management.
Bladder Training:
Teaching methods to control bladder function.
Exercise:
Individual exercise programs to increase motor control and strength of the pelvic floor, such as the Kegel exercise (repeated tightening and release of the pelvic muscles) and other physical therapy movements.
Biofeedback:
Women learn correct techniques for exercising and toning the pelvic muscle.
Medication:
Special medication can be included in the overall treatment plan for calming the bladder muscle or to desensitize the nerves controlling the bladder, generally best prescribed for urge incontinence.
Pessary:
A plastic support device to reposition the bladder. A pessary is not a permanent solution for incontinence and serves only as a temporary repair.
Bladder “pacemaker”:
Technologically advanced, implanted device, called InterStim® Therapy. By using mild electrical stimulation of the sacral nerves incontinence symptoms are dramatically reduced or eliminated.
Surgery:
Minimally invasive surgical correction to provide the necessary support for the bladder. It is an outpatient procedure with a 90% curative rate.
Neuromodulation:
Neuromodulation involves stimulating the nerves that control bladder function. This minimally-invasive treatment is done with the Urgent® PC Neuromodulation System and is administered at the Continence Center in the Institute for Women’s Wellness.
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