Got Women’s Urinary Incontinence? Tests You Can Expect

by General Urinary IncontinenceMixed Urinary IncontinenceOveractive BladderPelvic Organ ProlapseStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary Incontinence

If you have women’s urinary incontinence and are finally ready to discuss your condition, we congratulate you! One of the best ways that you can prepare for your doctor’s appointment is to understand the tests your doctor will likely perform to assess your condition. These tests are designed to help your doctor discover which form of urinary incontinence you experience: stress, urge (or overactive bladder), or mixed urinary incontinence. Learn about the three different types of women’s urinary incontinence here. In addition, these tests will inform your doctor about your symptoms, whether you have urinary urgency, leakage, or frequency (or all three)!

Tests for Women’s Urinary Incontinence
Don’t worry, none of the tests your doctor will perform to assess your urinary incontinence is painful. At the most, these tests are slightly embarrassing, but then, most women already feel embarrassed discussing their urinary incontinence with their doctors. If you have overcome that embarrassment and actually have an appointment with your doctor, these tests will be a breeze.

Initial Tests
Your doctor or specialists (urologist or ob/gyn or gerontologist) will first discuss your symptoms and condition. In addition, your doctor will perform some initial tests, which usually include a physical examination, a urinalysis, and a post-void residual. Here’s what each of those tests involves:

– Physical Exam: The physical examination will include a pelvic evaluation, so you may wish to take extra care with your hygiene prior to your appointment. This physical exam helps your doctor determine the anatomy associated with your incontinence. During this evaluation, the specialist will determine whether any of your pelvic organs have prolapsed or fallen out of place, which may contribute to your urinary incontinence issues.

– Urinalysis: This initial test helps your doctor rule out infection or blood in the urine as the cause of your urinary incontinence. You will be asked to provide a urine sample for testing. If the specialist suspects that you have a urinary tract infection, he or she will recommend a specific treatment plan to resolve the infection and send the sample for further testing. If blood is found in your urine, further testing may be needed to determine the cause.

– Post-void residual: This test confirms whether you are fully emptying your bladder when you urinate. A catheter or ultrasound machine is used to measure the urine remaining in your bladder after urination. A normal post-void residual is less than 100 ml

Further Testing
If your doctor is unable to fully determine the cause of your urinary incontinence, he or she may perform further tests. These can include a cystoscopy, urodynamic testing, and asking you to keep a bladder diary. These tests will include the following:

– Cystoscopy: A cytoscope is a thin, lighted viewing instrument that is inserted into the urethra and bladder. Your doctor will use this instrument to examine the interior lining of the bladder and urethra for issues, other than weakened pelvic floor muscles, that may be affecting your continence.

– Urodynamic Testing: This minimally invasive test focuses on your bladder’s ability to fill and empty. It measures how much your bladder can hold, how much pressure builds inside your bladder as it stores urine, and how full it is when you feel the urge to urinate. Urodynamic testing helps your doctor determine how well you might respond to certain treatments.

– Voiding Diary: Your physician may ask you to keep a voiding diary as part of your evaluation. This diary will allow you to communicate clearly with him or her about the status of your bladder, including how frequently you urinate during the day and at night, how much fluid you drink daily, and the volume of urine leakage you experience. The voiding diary will most likely also educate you about your own condition, too. Many women who keep a voiding diary are surprised at how frequently they urinate or have leakage accidents.

So there you have it. Now you have a better understanding of the tests your doctor or specialist may run to fully understand the causes of your women’s urinary incontinence. Knowledge is power, and at this point you are armed with the knowledge to confidently go to your doctor’s appointment to get on the path the relief!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Ladies: Read This if You Wonder What’s Up Down There

by Mixed Urinary IncontinenceOveractive BladderPelvic Floor WeaknessPelvic Organ ProlapsePOPStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge IncontinenceUrge Urinary Incontinence

Sometimes there is nothing like another person’s story to really motivate and empower us to take action for our own health. If you are concerned that you may have women’s urinary incontinence–meaning you have symptoms like urinary urgency, frequency, or leakage–the stories in this article may interest you. These stories may also interest you if you feel like something is falling out “down there”… or if your bedroom encounters have gone from “hot to not”!

If you wonder, “What IS up down there?” then read on… these stories may resonate with you plus motivate you to get the help you need!

Are You Like Jane?
Jane, in her mid-thirties, loves how kickboxing is helping restore her figure after she gave birth to her adorable son. What she doesn’t love is the amount of urine she leaks every time she kicks or boxes. In fact, the leakage happens so often that she is thinking of stopping her exercise program altogether.  Here’s what Jane doesn’t know.  She has stress urinary incontinence (also called stress incontinence), the most common form of urinary incontinence, which affects 26 percent of women over age 18 at some point in their lives. Childbirth is a major cause of stress incontinence. Most women with urine leakage wait more than six years to get help. Yet research shows that urinary incontinence in 8 out of 10 women with the condition can be improved. How long will Jane wait?

Jane solved her problem. Find out how by clicking HERE.

Are You Living Karen’s Story?
Sixty-two-year-old Karen has bathrooms on the brain. She has to urinate 10 to 12 times a day and a few times at night. Sometimes she feels a sudden urge and doesn’t make it to the bathroom in time–she then leaks a large volume of urine. Karen has to carry several changes of clothing with her and buys adult diapers in bulk. Her situation is bad, but her embarrassment about seeking help is worse, so she just keeps coping with the condition by herself.

This is what Karen should know. Karen is suffering from the most severe form of overactive bladder, called urge urinary incontinence. About 17 percent of women in the United States have urge incontinence, especially women 50 and older, but less than half seek help. Getting help is important, because about 60 percent of women with urge urinary incontinence also experience depression (though the two conditions are not always related). Help is also important because 70 percent of women with urge incontinence report symptom improvement with conservative treatments like medication or physical therapy.

Discover how Karen stopped leaking urine by reading her story HERE.

Does Jo’s Story Ring a Bell?
Jo, age 40 and very fit, faces a complex situation: she has the same symptoms as Jane and Karen, meaning she leaks urine when she exercises or laughs as well as because of sudden urges. She’s had symptoms for only 11 months but is definitely going to ask her doctor for help, even though she feels embarrassed. Her symptoms are frequent and serious.  What Jo will learn when she talks to her doctor: Jo’s doctor will tell her that she has mixed urinary incontinence, which is a combination of stress incontinence and urge incontinence or overactive bladder. Women with this mixed form of incontinence are more likely to seek help earlier because their symptoms tend to be worse and more frequent than symptoms of women who experience only stress or urge incontinence / overactive bladder. Mixed incontinence has a much stronger negative effect on quality of life, and women with this condition spend much more on laundry bills and adult diapers.

Jo was able to solve both types of urinary incontinence by using the steps outlined HERE.

Do You Share Susan’s Pain?
At age 68, Susan is suddenly experiencing low-back pain, chronic constipation, and the feeling that she is sitting on a ball. Luckily, she already has an appointment with her ob-gyn in a few weeks. She hopes her doctor will tell her what’s happening in her pelvic region.  What Susan’s ob-gyn will tell her at her appointment: Susan feels like she’s sitting on a ball because her pelvic organs have literally popped out of place. She has pelvic organ prolapse, in which one or more of her pelvic organs have moved out of place and now bulge into her vagina.  Susan’s ob-gyn will tell her that she is among the 3 to 6 percent of women who have severe pelvic organ prolapse, and will most likely need surgery to correct the problem. Surprisingly, between 43 and 76 percent of women have some degree of prolapse without knowing it and should be taking preventive action.

Susan was able to solve her pelvic organ prolapse issues with help from her doctor. Find out what Susan did HERE.

Do You Have “Not So Hot” Bedroom Encounters Like Cherie?
At age 42 Cherie is supposed to be in her sexual prime, at least according to the latest women’s magazines, but she feels far from sexy. With two children and a busy career, she considers sex to be at the bottom of her list. Further, sex with her husband just isn’t very pleasurable anymore because Cherie doesn’t feel much sensation in her sexual organs. She avoids sex as much as possible, but her husband is becoming upset and worried. She knows she needs to do something to resolve the situation, but she doesn’t know what.

How Cherie can solve her sexual problem: More than 40 percent of women are dissatisfied with their sex lives, and many of these women have decreased sexual sensation, which is what Cherie is experiencing. This decrease in sensation is often due to weak pelvic floor muscles, and the good news is that these muscles can easily be strengthened with pelvic floor muscle exercises. Studies show that women who do pelvic floor exercises reach orgasm more easily and experience more sexual desire. Cherie can improve her symptoms by following a simple pelvic floor exercise program, such as one from her physical therapist or the at-home program in chapter 7 in our book.

Cherie changed her bedroom encounters from “not, back to hot”… find out how by reading her story HERE.

Read, Plan, Do
Once you have read through these women’s’ stories, you should have a pretty good idea of what is going on with your pelvic health. Then make a plan. Will you call your family doctor for a referral to a urologist or will you visit your ob/gyn? Will you stop in and visit with your family doctor first?

Whatever you plan that takes you closer to solving your pelvic health issues is good. Then you must DO. A plan without action is not a very useful plan. So once you have your plan, do it! Take action for your own pelvic health. You will be surprised how much your quality of life will be affected by improving your pelvic health!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

The Importance of Pelvic Floor Health

by KegelsPelvic Floor MusclesPelvic Floor WeaknessPelvic Organ ProlapsePessaryPOPStress Urinary Incontinence

Guest Post by Linda Grayling

A healthy pelvic floor serves as the supporting structure for the pelvic organs, which include the uterus, bladder and rectum. It supports the weight of the baby during pregnancy, and plays a role in core strength and posture. A strong pelvic floor can make childbirth and recovery easier, enhance sexual sensation, and help prevent pelvic floor disorders.

The extra pressure placed on the pelvic floor from supporting the baby throughout pregnancy and the strain of delivery can weaken this support system. This can lead to pain during or the inability to have sex, urinary incontinence, trouble with bowel movements, and prolapsed or displaced pelvic organs.

High-impact activities, heavy lifting, chronic coughing, frequently straining to produce a bowel movement, obesity, and smoking can also contribute to a weakened pelvic floor and increase the chance of developing a pelvic floor disorder.

Stress Urinary Incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common pelvic floor disorder that affects at least a third of all women at some point in their lives. It occurs when the stress from normal activities–like exercise, coughing or sneezing, laughing and even sex–triggers accidental urine leakage.

Many women experience minor issues with bladder control every now and then, but when incontinence becomes more frequent or interferes with daily life, they should talk to a doctor. Incontinence is directly related to the strength of the pelvic floor. Weakened pelvic floor muscles increase the odds of developing SUI.

Performing Kegel exercises daily can resolve symptoms of incontinence in just a few weeks. Not only will women stop experiencing embarrassing leakage during sex, but Kegels also heighten sexual sensation and help achieve orgasm.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the pelvic floor is no longer strong enough to hold the pelvic organs in their proper place, allowing them to sag against the vaginal walls–and in severe cases, protrude from the vaginal canal. Prolapse occurs in half of all childbearing women, but is frequently without symptoms, making it a non-issue.

For women who do experience symptoms, they can include a pulling feeling or pelvic pressure, low back pain, problems with bowel movements and urinary problems, pain during sex, and unusual spotting or bleeding. Symptoms can worsen over time.

Women should always try conservative treatments before considering surgery. Strengthening the pelvic floor throughout pregnancy and after childbirth is especially important in avoiding pelvic organ prolapse later in life.

Physical therapists can offer personal instruction on locating, isolating and strengthening the pelvic floor, and may employ biofeedback therapy, pelvic massage or the use of vaginal weights. Doctors may also recommend the use of a vaginal pessary to keep pelvic organs in place.

In recent years, many women have had corrective surgical procedures using transvaginal mesh to strengthen the pelvic floor. The complications associated with transvaginal mesh are not always reversible, and include organ perforation, mesh erosion and the need for revision surgery.

These complications have prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a warning stating that most cases of prolapse can be corrected without mesh and that mesh can expose patients to greater risk.

Women should ask their doctors about all of their surgical repair options, which can include using the patient’s own tissues or biologic products.

Linda Grayling writes for Drugwatch.com. Linda has a number of professional interests, including keeping up with the latest developments in the medical field. Join the Drugwatch community on our Facebook page to find out more.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

 

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: The Power of Educating Yourself

by GeneralGeneral Urinary IncontinencePelvic Organ ProlapsePOPUrinary Incontinence

The old adage tells us that “knowledge is power.” When it comes to women’s urinary incontinence, knowledge is more than power … knowledge can be the difference between feeling insecure and isolated, and being your own best healthcare advocate.

Whether or not you have sought help from your doctor for your women’s urinary incontinence, the more you educate yourself about your condition, the more confident you will feel about your body, your life, and your ability to successfully cope with your symptoms. If the embarrassment of discussing your urinary incontinence is just too much for you to deal with at the moment, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways you can educate yourself about women’s urinary incontinence without ever leaving your home. Consider these easily-available resources you can use to learn as much as possible about urinary urgency, frequency, leakage, and other symptoms of urinary incontinence.

A Woman’s Guide to Pelvic Health
We wrote this book for the exact purpose discussed above–so that women could educate themselves about pelvic health (including urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse). This guide book not only outlines the major issues and symptoms related to various women’s pelvic health conditions, but also details a complete at-home pelvic floor rehabilitation program. In addition, the book outlines a wide variety of conservative therapies for these pelvic issues, as well as reviewing the various surgical options available. This complete guide is an educational gem for women who want to know more … but are kind of afraid to ask their doctors! Click HERE for more details.

Discreet Online Resources
If you are digitally-inclined, there are tons of online resources available that can educate you about women’s urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and other pelvic health issues. A great place to get started is our Resources  page, which lists not only the informational resources we provide, but also the educational resources provided by a number of organizations dedicated to women’s health and women’s pelvic health.

Download the Ebook
For the do-it-yourself gal who wants to learn how to do a correct pelvic floor muscle contraction (of which the Kegel is one variety), we have a handy downloadable ebook that gives you the exact directions for doing just that! The ebook is available at no charge, and you can read it at your leisure. The information is easy to read and, at the same time, medically correct. Download the ebook HERE.

The Benefits of Educating Yourself
If you take the time to educate yourself about your pelvic health–and especially about women’s urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse–you will be way ahead of other women on the knowledge curve. This knowledge can serve you well. For instance, being knowledgeable about your pelvic health gives you the ability to:

  • know what’s going on with your own body
  • become your own best health advocate
  • converse intelligently with your healthcare provider and make good decisions for yourself (when to use conservative approaches, when to consider surgery)
  • know when your treatment plans need to change because your physical condition has changed
  • help other women suffering in silence by sharing your knowledge and experience

Those are some pretty big benefits, not just for yourself but also for women who are not as courageous in educating themselves about pelvic health. Education empowers you to be a healthcare advocate for yourself as well as the other women in your life–be they sisters, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, aunts, or friends. So why not? Go for it! Educate yourself, help yourself, then reach out and help others!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: What You Gain When You Seek Medical Help

by Find the Right DoctorGeneral Urinary IncontinenceOveractive BladderPelvic Organ ProlapsePessaryPOPStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary Incontinence

In our last article, we discussed all the quality of life aspects that go out the window when women with urinary incontinence fail to seek medical help for their condition. In this follow-up article, we take a look at all the benefits you gain when you seek medical help for women’s urinary incontinence. Yes, we know, seeking medical help involves having that “red-faced” embarrassing conversation with your doctor about urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage. But after you read through all the benefits you will gain once you get through that conversation, our bet is that you will be willing to ask your doctor for help (if you haven’t already)!

Benefit #1: A Medical Diagnosis
A lot of women with urinary incontinence know that they have a problem, but they don’t know exactly what the problem is. They know they suffer from urinary urgency or frequency or leakage, but may not necessarily know the causes of these symptoms. This lack of knowing “what’s up down there” can create a sense of tension and stress for many women. Therefore, one of the biggest benefits of getting help from your doctor is that you get a true and medically-correct diagnosis about your condition. You will find out if you have stress, urge, or mixed urinary incontinence … or just a mild form of urge incontinence called overactive bladder (OAB). You will discover whether your pelvic organs have “fallen” out of place, causing some of your symptoms. Whatever the cause of your urinary incontinence symptoms, you will emerge from your conversation with your doctor with the knowledge of what is happening with your body. Since “knowledge is power,” you will emerge from your appointment with a new sense of self-empowerment. That is a pretty neat benefit.

Benefit #2: Knowledge of Treatment Options
Once your healthcare provider discovers the cause of your symptoms, such as urinary urgency or leakage, the next step is obviously to discuss treatment options. Depending on the type and severity of your symptoms, your doctor may recommend either conservative or surgical treatment options. Conservative options may include lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation, weight loss, and dietary changes. Other conservative therapies include bladder retraining, pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation, acupuncture, pessaries, and percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation.

If your condition is more severe, especially if one or more of your pelvic organs has fallen out of place (a condition called pelvic organ prolapse, or POP), then your doctor may recommend some surgical options to treat your condition. The good news is that most of the surgical procedures for women’s urinary incontinence are minimally-invasive, plus have a high rate of success.  Most healthcare providers will recommend that you start with the most conservative therapy possible, and consider surgery only if your condition is not treatable with conservative approaches.

Benefit #3: Support on the Journey Back to Health
While talking to your doctor about your urinary symptoms may be embarrassing, you will find that most medical professionals are quite knowledgeable and compassionate about women’s urinary incontinence. By seeking help from your doctor, you will not only get the help you need to restore yourself to continence, but you will gain the knowledge that you are not alone. As the baby boomer generation ages, more and more doctors are helping women with urinary incontinence issues. Your doctor will not only provide you with solutions that will treat your condition, but can also reassure you that you are not alone. Your doctor may even be able to recommend resources, both online and offline, where you can find additional support from women dealing with the same kinds of symptoms.

Big Benefits from Seeking Help
As you can probably tell, seeking help from your doctor will yield some pretty major benefits for you. Not only will you be able to address your physical symptoms, but you will also be able to ease your mind as you gain knowledge about urinary incontinence. The more you know, the more control you will have over your condition. The more control you have, the less stress you will experience. All of these are major contributors to a good quality of life. Doesn’t that make a short conversation with your doctor worthwhile?

 

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Acupuncture for Urinary Urgency and Other Embarrassing Symptoms

by General Urinary IncontinencePelvic Organ ProlapsePOPUrge IncontinenceUrge Urinary Incontinence

This blog is part 10 of an 11 article series of 11 New Year’s resolutions that actually work and WILL improve your pelvic health. Get the full list of all 11 New Year’s resolutions HERE.

What’s worse? A few tiny needles the width of a human hair or experiencing that embarrassing “wet pants” look that comes with urinary urgency (and other symptoms of urinary incontinence)?

We don’t know about you, but for women with urinary incontinence, a few tiny acupuncture needles may seem like a very small price to pay for a reduction in symptoms. Acupuncture, a well-respected healing technique from the East, has long been considered an excellent “middle of the road” option for women with urinary incontinence symptoms like urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage. This conservative therapy has also proven effective for women with pelvic organ prolapse. More importantly, acupuncture is a wonderful solution for women who, for whatever reasons, choose not to take medication or cannot make lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and smoking cessation.
What is Acupuncture, Exactly?
If you are considering using acupuncture to solve symptoms such as urinary urgency and frequency, then you probably want to know exactly what this kind of therapy entails. We don’t blame you! When someone starts talking about using a bunch of needles to alleviate symptoms of urinary incontinence, you probably want to know more–specifically, the details!

According to the National Institutes of Health, acupuncture is defined as follows:

“The term ‘acupuncture’ describes a family of procedures involving the stimulation of points on the body using a variety of techniques. The acupuncture technique that has been most often studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation. Practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years, acupuncture is one of the key components of traditional Chinese medicine.”

The use of acupuncture is very widespread–more than you may think. According to the National Health Interview Survey, in 2007 an estimated 3.1 million U.S. adults and 150,000 children received acupuncture treatments within the past year. And that number has only been on the rise since the 2007 study.

As for actual treatments, practitioners use either very fine acupuncture needles or mild electrical stimulation (meant to mimic the stimulation provided by needle insertion) to increase the flow of energy in the body. Needles are inserted at specific points located along meridian lines that circulate energy throughout the body, and specific combinations of points can be used to create healing effects. While many people know about the use of acupuncture for pain relief, fewer people recognize the effectiveness of this conservative therapy for other conditions, such as urinary incontinence, constipation, and pelvic organ prolapse.

How Effective is Acupuncture for Urinary Urgency and Other Symptoms?
Acupuncture has been shown to be just as effective for relieving urinary urgency and other symptoms of urinary incontinence as dry or behavior therapy (Oregon Health and Science University). According to researchers Sandra Emmons, M.D. and Lesley Otto, M.D., “Acupuncture perhaps can offer a middle ground for the appropriate patient who prefers not to take daily medication but is unable to commit to the active involvement of behavioral therapy.”

If you have found the side effects of drug therapy intolerable and, for whatever reasons, cannot make lifestyle or behavioral changes to alleviate your symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence, you may want to look into acupuncture. In addition to board-certified acupuncturists, many physicians also now practice medical acupuncture. Check with your family doctor for a referral, and check with your insurance company to see if acupuncture services are covered. Some insurance companies will cover acupuncture services provided by an in-network physician, but not by an acupuncturist, so be sure to ask.

Most acupuncture “programs” for relieving urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage last from five to eight weeks, and you should see a noticeable reduction of your symptoms within that time period. Because each woman has differing symptom patterns and severity, your physician or acupuncturist will design a specialized program just for your needs.

If acupuncture sounds like a conservative therapy you would like to try, but maybe scares you a little bit, just remember that acupuncture needles are very fine–about the width of one of your hairs! That’s pretty tiny!
If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Diet Modification for Women’s Urinary Incontinence, Part II – Avoid Constipation

by General Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor MusclesPelvic Organ ProlapsePOPUrinary Incontinence

This blog is part 7 of an 11 article series of 11 New Year’s resolutions that actually work and WILL improve your pelvic health. Get the full list of all 11 New Year’s resolutions HERE.

Women with urinary incontinence know all about the discomfort of urinary leakage, frequency, and urge–but a lot of these same women also know the discomfort of constipation symptoms. Constipation symptoms such as straining, needing to push on the abdomen, or waiting an unusually long time on the toilet are all bad news for women with urinary incontinence. All these symptoms of constipation put a lot of pressure on the pelvic organs and muscles, which can worsen symptoms of urinary incontinence. If you have any of these constipation symptoms, then read on. We have solutions to help you avoid this problem, which may in turn relieve some of your urinary incontinence symptoms.

What is Constipation?
Before we can talk about how to avoid constipation, we first have to define constipation. Put simply, constipation includes difficulty having a bowel movement, or long periods of delay between bowel movements. What is considered a “normal” frequency for bowel movements varies from person to person, depending on age, lifestyle, and diet. Most medical experts consider bowel movements ranging from three per day to three per week as “normal.” Fewer bowel movements may constitute chronic constipation.

For women with urinary incontinence, the frequency of bowel movements is definitely important. In addition, what may be even more important is to avoid straining when having a bowel movement. Straining or pushing are symptoms of constipation, and both can further weaken pelvic muscles that are already stretched or damaged. Straining and pushing can also push pelvic organs that have “fallen” out of place further from their correct anatomical position. All of these may result in or worsen symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.

How to Avoid Constipation
If you have symptoms of constipation, we have several solutions that can relieve these symptoms. These are simple lifestyle changes that you can easily integrate into your daily schedule, no matter how busy you may be.

  • Fiber: Eat plenty of fruits or veggies. If you are not a fan of these, add a fiber supplement (gradually) to your daily regimen.
  • Exercise: Moving your body will help your digestive system, since your food has to pass through about 20 feet of intestine.
  • Hydrate: Water is essential to keeping your stools soft enough to pass easily. To figure out the right amount of water to drink, read this article
  • Medication: Check with your doctor whether any medications you take might be causing constipation (since many drugs can cause symptoms of constipation)
  • Go with the Urge: Many women are “too busy” to go to the bathroom for a bowel movement when they feel the urge. This can cause your digestive system to shut down, leading to constipation. Avoid this by going to the bathroom immediately when you feel the urge for a bowel movement.

Mix Your Own Fiber Supplement
One of the recommendations we make to patients in our practice for maintaining bowel regularity is this homemade recipe for a fiber supplement. Combine the following ingredients and drink the resulting mixture immediately:

  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1/4 cup freshly ground flaxseed
  • 1/4 cup aloe vera juice

Pretty simple, right? Making any of the above listed lifestyle changes to help you avoid constipation symptoms is important to relieving women’s urinary incontinence. Because these lifestyle changes are so easy, they make a good trade-off if they help you stay “high and dry”!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Women’s Pelvic Health: 11 New Year’s Resolutions That Actually Work!

by Decreased Sexual SensationGeneral Urinary IncontinenceOveractive BladderPelvic Organ ProlapsePOPStress Urinary IncontinenceUrge IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare
Happy New Year! The New Year is always a great time to give thanks for all the gifts in our lives, and also the perfect time to look at ways in which we could improve certain areas of our lives. Hence the practice of making New Year’s resolutions.
New Year’s resolutions can be great motivators, especially when it comes to life goals or lifestyle changes. Many people look forward to making New Year’s resolutions with joy and hope. But for those whose resolutions have failed to live up to expectations in the past, there can be some anxiety about setting yet another resolution that might not work.
But don’t worry … be happy this New Year, especially if you are a woman and suffer from any symptoms of poor pelvic health! Why? Because in the coming days we are going to give you 11 New Year’s resolutions that actually work and WILL improve your pelvic health. These simple lifestyle changes can improve symptoms of all forms of urinary incontinence, as well as symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse and decreased sexual sensation. Plus, we will help you set yourself up for success with extra tips and techniques for staying focused on your resolutions throughout the year.
Sound good? Then listen up — here are the 11 lifestyle changes that we will be discussing in the next days and weeks:
1. At-Home Pelvic Floor Retraining
2. Pelvic Floor Retraining with a Physical Therapist
3. Keeping a Bladder Diary and Bladder Retraining
4. Smoking Cessation
5. Timed Fluid Intake
6. Diet Modification — Avoiding Certain Foods and Beverages
7. Diet Modification II — How to Avoid Constipation
8. Diet Modification III — What to Do When You Go Off Your Diet Plan
9. Weight Loss and Management
10. Acupuncture as a “Middle of the Road” Solution
11. Percutaneous Nerve Stimulation and Other Conservative Measures
Have a great New Year’s Day and keep your eyes and ears open for blogs and video blogs on these great upcoming New Year’s resolutions!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Women’s Pelvic Health: The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself!

by Decreased Sexual SensationGeneral Urinary IncontinencePelvic Floor MusclesPelvic Floor WeaknessPelvic Organ ProlapsePOPWomen's Healthcare

When it comes to women’s health, pelvic health is often a matter of “out of sight, out of mind”! Unlike saggy underarms, facial wrinkles, or body fat, our pelvic organs do not act as visible motivators for us to change our lifestyles to improve our health. But women’s pelvic health does matter–a lot! This is especially true since poor pelvic health can lead to women’s urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, or decreased sexual sensation.

The fact of the matter is that you may have poor pelvic health and not even know it until symptoms show up suddenly in your life!

Women’s Pelvic Health: Treat Yourself Right This Holiday
In our fast-paced world, we are often advised to “treat ourselves right” by meditating, getting a massage, or reading a good book. In other words, we need periods of time in which we slow down and smell the roses if we want to stay healthy and fit. These are considered little gifts that we give to ourselves so that we can remain vibrant and healthy in our lives.

All of these are great gifts, and we would like to suggest one more to consider: get a pelvic exam!

While shoving one’s legs into those metal stirrups for a pelvic exam does not SEEM like a great gift to yourself (who actually enjoys that kind of experience?), this kind of preventative exam can really be a gift that keeps on giving. A pelvic exam can determine whether all of your pelvic organs are still in place or whether they have “fallen” or prolapsed. This kind of exam can also determine what type of urinary incontinence you have if you have started experiencing some urinary leakage on occasion. If your sex life isn’t what you want it to be, a pelvic exam can also reveal whether your pelvic floor muscles are weak, thus decreasing sexual sensation and enjoyment.

“But I don’t have any problems down there!” you wail, hating the thought of those cold stirrups. The truth is that you may or may not know about problems in your pelvic area. Only a thorough pelvic exam can reveal the state of your pelvic health. For instance, a high percentage of women (some experts estimate more than 70%) have prolapsed organs and don’t even know it. Other women experience less-than-pleasurable sex because their pelvic floor muscles lack tone and strength. But these women would not KNOW that they had a problem without a pelvic exam.

Women’s Pelvic Health: The Gift That Keeps on Giving
If you really want to treat yourself right this holiday season, give yourself the gift of pelvic health. Call your ob/gyn or urologist to schedule a pelvic exam for the first of the year. The exam, uncomfortable as it might be, will tell you what you need to know about the state of your pelvic organs. Depending on what is revealed, the exam can also inspire you to set some worthy New Year’s Resolutions that will benefit not only your pelvic health, but your whole life. Examples include weight loss, smoking cessation, avoiding certain foods or beverages, and getting toned and fit all over (inside and out).

If you are still not convinced that a pelvic exam is a great gift for yourself, consider these benefits. A pelvic exam can:

  • open the door for you and your doctor to have an honest discussion about your pelvic health
  • reveal any potential problems with your pelvic organs
  • help you handle any potential problems before symptoms, such as urinary leakage or serious prolapse, occur
  • inspire you to exercise your pelvic floor muscles, which can improve your experience in the bedroom
  • assist you in resolving any symptoms of poor pelvic health that may have already appeared (such as light urinary leakage)
  • give you a baseline against which you and your doctor can compare future exams, ensuring your future pelvic health
  • motivate you to live a healthier lifestyle

Those are seven great reasons to make an appointment for a pelvic exam. These seven great gifts will keep your pelvic organs healthy as you move through many more holidays, especially as you experience life changes such as pregnancy, aging, travel, getting serious about exercise, and so forth.

So have yourself a happy holiday and give yourself the gift of pelvic health (or at least an appointment to check your health) before the New Year arrives … that way you will definitely have something to celebrate when you ring in the New Year!

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Pelvic Organ Prolapse – 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

by Pelvic Organ ProlapsePOP

Has something “fallen out” in your pelvic region? Do you feel like something has shifted down there? If so, you may have pelvic organ prolapse, otherwise known as POP. What is POP? POP is the condition in which one or more of your pelvic organs has slipped or fallen out of its original location. Pelvic organs that can prolapse include the bladder, small intestine, rectum or large bowel, and uterus. Each of these types of prolapse has a specific name:

— bladder (cystocele)
— small intestine or bowel (enterocele)
— rectum or large bowel (rectocele)
— uterus (procidentia)

Now that you know about the different types of POP, the next step is to figure out if you have POP, especially if you feel that your pelvic organs have shifted or changed in some way.

5 Questions About POP
If you are unsure about whether you have symptoms of POP, here are 5 questions you should ask yourself:

  1. Do you feel pulling, stretching, or pressure in your low back or groin?
  2. Do you see a bulge pushing out of your vagina or feel as if something is falling out of your vagina? (you may need to use a small hand mirror to answer this question)
  3. Do you experience painful sex?
  4. Do you feel the pressure of pelvic organs pushing into your vagina or do you feel as if you are sitting on a ball?
  5. Do you suffer from constipation or difficult urination that is improved when you press your fingers into your abdomen or vagina?

If you answered “Yes” to two or more of these questions, then you very likely have POP. If so, then you should definitely seek medical help from your urologist or ob/gyn. If you are not currently under the care of a urologist, you may need to get a referral from your family doctor.

Even if you did not answer “Yes” to any of the above questions, you may wish to visit your ob/gyn for a checkup. Between 43% and 76% of women who have POP do not experience any symptoms. The only way these women can be correctly diagnosed with POP is with a pelvic exam from an ob/gyn, urologist, or other medical practitioner specializing in women’s pelvic health. If you have not had a routine pelvic exam recently, now is a great time to schedule one. Why? Because treatments for POP are more effective when started early. So get on the phone and schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider of choice just to check that nothing has “popped” out of place down there. It’s the best holiday gift you can give yourself!

 

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woman lifting monitor

Pelvic Organ Prolapse: What’s With All the Heavy Lifting?

by Pelvic Floor WeaknessPelvic Organ ProlapsePOPUrinary Incontinence

woman lifting monitorIf you have been diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and you lead an active lifestyle or have a physically-demanding job, chances are good that your lifestyle and/or your job may have contributed to your condition.

Pelvic organ prolapse describes the condition in which one or more of your pelvic organs sags downward, or “falls” out of place. Pelvic organs that can prolapse include the bladder, small intestine, large intestine, or uterus. How many women have POP? Between 43% and 76% of women have POP, but don’t experience any symptoms. Less than 10% of women with POP notice symptoms, such as feeling pressure on the vaginal wall, feeling as if one is sitting on a ball, seeing a bulge falling out of the vagina, urinary incontinence, difficulty urinating, being constipated, low back pain, or feeling pain during sex.

POP and Heavy Lifting
While there are many risk factors for POP, a surprising number of those risk factors are associated with heavy lifting of one sort or another. Pregnancy and childbirth (either vaginal or Cesarean) top the list of factors. If you think about it, pregnancy is one of the most vigorous kinds of heavy lifting a woman can do. Plus, this form of heavy lifting is long-term–about nine continuous months!

Another kind of heavy lifting that can contribute to POP is work-related. If your job requires you to lift, move, or otherwise handle heavy objects on a regular basis, your work may be a big contributing factor to POP. All of this lifting puts pressure and strain on the pelvic organs and their supporting tendons, ligaments, and muscles. When the strain becomes too much, one or more pelvic organs will literally slip out of place, causing the symptoms described above.

Constipation causes straining similar to that of frequently lifting heavy objects. If you suffer from chronic constipation, then you are putting pressure on your pelvic organs several times per day. That’s a lot of heavy lifting for your pelvic organ support system.

Finally, your weight is a consideration. When it comes to your pelvic floor muscles, every pound of weight you carry about your pelvic region exerts a strong downward push. That means your pelvic floor support system has to do “heavy lifting” whenever you are sitting or standing. This is doubly true if you have an active or athletic lifestyle. Bouncing around in an aerobics class adds heavy impact into the equation, more than doubling the strain on your pelvic floor.

Lifestyle Changes to Reduce the Risk of POP
If you are at risk for POP because of any of the reasons listed above, it’s not too late to make some lifestyle changes. Simple changes that will help can include:

  • lose weight
  • change jobs to avoid lifting heavy objects
  • increase fiber intake to reduce constipation
  • switch from high-impact exercise to low-impact exercise (such as swimming or walking)
  • start doing pelvic floor exercises (like Kegels), especially if you have had children
  • consider using a pessary to temporarily increase support for your pelvic organs

These are all simple conservative measures that can prevent further sagging of your pelvic organs, and can often relieve symptoms of POP. These measures have almost no side effects, and studies have shown them to be quite effective. POP doesn’t have to consign you to being an armchair athlete. Instead, try these conservative approaches and see just how active you can be. You will be surprised!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76029035@N02/6829303627/

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Women’s Pelvic Health: Not Sure What’s Up Down There?

by Decreased Sexual SensationGeneralGeneral Urinary IncontinencePelvic Organ Prolapse

For many women, anatomy “down there” in the pelvic region is a complete mystery. And when something goes wrong down there, these same women have no idea what’s happening … or what to do. If you resemble the women referred to in the last sentence, then here’s a quickie guide to help you get acquainted with your own pelvic anatomy, plus a peek at what might be happening down there.

A Quick Guide to Pelvic Anatomy – Video
http://youtu.be/K1WL6MIq5HA

A Quick Guide to the Female Urinary System – Video
http://youtu.be/aro36vaiWmA

Women’s Poor Pelvic Health: Are You Affected? – Video
http://youtu.be/JEz2JlExShc

3 Types of Women’s Urinary Incontinence – Video
http://youtu.be/UYr8xrvQ48Q

Pelvic Organ Prolapse
http://bit.ly/ZAIja4

Do You Have Decreased Sexual Sensation? – Video
http://youtu.be/Zh5_Bp3s35U

 

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The Doctor Is In: Women’s Pelvic Health, Fact or Fiction?

by GeneralKegelsPelvic Floor MusclesPelvic Organ Prolapse

1. Urinary incontinence (an indicator of poor pelvic health) is a normal sign of aging.

Fiction: Urinary incontinence or leakage is not normal at any age. Acceptance of this health condition as a normal sign of aging is the second most common reason women don’t seek help from a physician. Embarrassment about talking to a doctor about urine leakage tops the list, followed by women thinking that urinary incontinence “wasn’t enough of a problem.” As a result, less than 50% of women with urinary incontinence seek medical help, and those who do get help wait almost seven years. The good news for women who do seek help is that urinary incontinence can be improved in 8 out of 10 cases according to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy.

2. Kegels and similar pelvic floor exercises can improve a woman’s pelvic health.

Fact: Studies show that pelvic floor exercises, when done correctly and according to a woman’s state of pelvic muscle fitness, can relieve symptoms of all three types of urinary incontinence (stress, overactive bladder/urge, and mixed), pelvic organ prolapse, decreased sexual sensation or response, and general pelvic floor weakness. Women often feel that pelvic floor exercises such as Kegels are ineffective because these women are not doing the exercises properly. In fact, studies show that almost 50% of women cannot do a correct pelvic floor muscle contraction with only basic written instructions for guidance. Incorrectly done, these muscle contractions are indeed ineffective and may even worsen some symptoms of poor pelvic health.

3. Conservative therapies for poor pelvic health (urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and decreased sexual sensation) are not effective.

Fiction (with some fact): While it is true that not every conservative approach for relieving symptoms will work for every woman, it is also true that most women will be able to find relief with one or more of these approaches. Some women are able to reduce symptoms by using a combination of conservative therapies, such as taking medication plus stopping smoking and losing weight. Other women find success by trying multiple different therapies until they find an effective approach. Persistence is often the key to success. Some women, however, may have such an advanced condition (as with severe pelvic organ prolapse) that surgery is a better option. Research indicates that conservative therapies are more effective when used as soon as the first symptoms occur.

4. Childbirth does not put women at risk for poor pelvic health.

Fiction: Childbirth is a major risk factor for urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and decreased sexual sensation. In fact, giving birth is a major reason that women are twice as likely to suffer from urinary incontinence as men. Despite recent controversy over the subject, studies indicate that the method of delivery–vaginal versus Caesarian–has little effect on whether a mother will have urine leakage symptoms post-partum.

5. A woman will know if she has poor pelvic health.

Fiction: Research indicates that between 43 and 76 percent of women have some degree of pelvic organ prolapse (in which one or more pelvic organs have “fallen” out of position). At the same time, many of these women are not aware that they have this condition because they have no apparent symptoms. Some women may experience symptoms of prolapse, such as low back pain or chronic constipation, but not know the cause. Similarly, many women with naturally weak pelvic floor muscles, another form of poor pelvic health, may not be aware that they are not having the best possible sexual experience.

6. Most women can benefit from doing a pelvic floor muscle exercise program.

Fact: Pelvic floor muscles are like any other muscle in the body: they benefit from regular exercise. Because pelvic muscles are not visible, most women tend to forget about exercising them, even if they have engaged in a pelvic muscle exercise program in the past. The phrase “Out of sight, out of mind” is very applicable to pelvic floor muscles, as is the phrase, “Use ’em or lose ’em!” (especially after menopause). Women who should not start a pelvic muscle exercise program on their own include women who are under a physician’s care for a medical condition, women who have hyper-toned pelvic muscles, or women whose pelvic floor muscles are too weak to do a proper Kegel-type contraction. If you are not sure whether you should proceed with a self-guided program, check in with your doctor first and seek help from a physical therapist specializing in women’s pelvic health.

7. Surgeries to alleviate symptoms of poor pelvic health conditions are risky.

Fiction: While all surgery carries a certain amount of risk, most surgical procedures for urinary incontinence (the most common form of poor pelvic health) are minimally-invasive, low-risk, and can be done on an outpatient basis. Surgeries for pelvic organ prolapse and some forms of urinary incontinence can be more complex, but have a high rate of success and few complications. As with all types of surgery, you will get the most effective treatment by researching and finding the surgeon who best understands and can accommodate your needs. In addition, pelvic surgery, like conservative therapies, is more effective when performed sooner rather than later. This means that you should seek medical attention the moment you become aware that you may have one or more symptoms of poor pelvic health.

Elizabeth E. Houser, M.D., a board-certified urologist in private practice for many years, is now a consultant in the field of women’s pelvic health. Stephanie Riley Hahn, P.T. is a physical therapist specializing in women’s pelvic health. Their book, A Woman’s Guide to Pelvic Health: Expert Advice for Women of All Ages, is now available for pre-order from the JHU Press.

You can also see this blog post as well as other terrific content on the John Hopkin’s University Press blog.

 

 

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Yes, Kegels DO Work When Done Correctly and Appropriately

by Decreased Sexual SensationKegelsOveractive BladderPelvic Organ ProlapseUrge IncontinenceUrinary Incontinence
Yeah, yeah … we’ve heard it all. Women tell us (a urologist and a physical therapist specializing in women’s pelvic health) that they do Kegels or other pelvic floor exercises to no avail. “Kegels don’t work” for women’s urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, or decreased sexual sensation. We hear that all the time.

Feel Like You are Sitting on a Ball?

by Pelvic Organ Prolapse

 

If you feel like you are sitting on a ball sometimes (even though you are not!) or maybe just feel like you parts are “falling out down there,” then chances are that you have pelvic organ prolapse, also called POP.With POP, your parts down south are literally succumbing to gravity. Talk about the “fallout” associated with aging-as if wrinkles and that hard-to-get-rid-of underarm fat aren’t enough!But here’s the thing-you are not alone and the condition is definitely treatable.

Have Pelvic Organ Prolapse? Consider Using a Pessary

by Pelvic Organ Prolapse
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Are things “popping” out down there? If you suffer from pelvic organ prolapse, otherwise known as POP, then chances are that you are far from comfortable. Women with POP can experience symptoms such as a falling sensation in the pelvis, backaches, painful intercourse and more.Click HERE for a more complete list of POP symptoms.There are four common types of POP: cystocele (bladder prolapse), rectocele (prolapse of the rectum or large bowel), enterocele (prolapse of the small bowel), and uterine prolapse.

Feel Like You are Sitting on a Ball?

by Pelvic Floor MusclesPelvic Floor WeaknessPelvic Organ ProlapsePOP
If you feel like you are sitting on a ball sometimes (even though you are not!) or maybe just feel like you parts are “falling out down there,” then chances are that you have pelvic organ prolapse, also called POP.With POP, your parts down south are literally succumbing to gravity. Talk about the “fallout” associated with aging-as if wrinkles and that hard-to-get-rid-of underarm fat aren’t enough!

But here’s the thing-you are not alone and the condition is definitely treatable. One in five U.S. women is affected by POP, and 30% of U.S. women over 50 have this condition. And of course, the condition becomes more common the older we get-no big surprise there!

Almost 50% of women who have had vaginal births will develop some form of POP in their lifetime. The uterus, bladder, intestines, and rectum are all located around the vagina. Because of their close proximity, it is possible for them to “herniate” or bulge into the vagina. Such bulges are called pelvic floor prolapse and present as a feeling of pelvic pressure or heaviness. Who is at risk? Moms, heavy-lifters, and smokers are susceptible. POP can be brought on by chronic coughing, chronic constipation, menopause, normal aging, previous pelvic surgery (hysterectomy), or genetics.

Symptoms of prolapse include:
– A bulge in your vagina that ranges in size from that of small egg to that of a grapefruit
– Discomfort or pressure in your pelvis or vagina
– Difficulty having a bowel movement
– Difficulty emptying your bladder (can cause overflow incontinence) or your rectum/bowel
– Loss of urinary control with coughing, laughing or sneezing (stress urinary incontinence)
– Pain during intercourse
– Lower back pain
– Increased discomfort with long periods of standing
– Recurrent bladder infections

If you experience any of these symptoms, then you are definitely overdue for a visit with your urologist or gynecologist. You can explore both conservative and surgical options with your healthcare provider, which will relieve you of the feeling that stuff is “falling out” down south!

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Have Pelvic Organ Prolapse? Consider Using a Pessary

by Pelvic Floor WeaknessPelvic Organ ProlapsePessaryPOPWomen's Healthcare
Are things “popping” out down there? If you suffer from pelvic organ prolapse, otherwise known as POP, then chances are that you are far from comfortable. Women with POP can experience symptoms such as a falling sensation in the pelvis, backaches, painful intercourse and more.

Click HERE for a more complete list of POP symptoms.

There are four common types of POP: cystocele (bladder prolapse), rectocele (prolapse of the rectum or large bowel), enterocele (prolapse of the small bowel), and uterine prolapse.

Luckily, there is a conservative solution for women suffering from POP.

It’s called a pessary.

“A pessa-what?” you ask. A pessary-and it’s not as weird as it sounds. A pessary is a plastic or rubber ring-like device that is placed in the vagina to support the bladder, uterus, or rectum. In other words, it’s an artificial support for those internal structures that are a bit saggy because of childbirth, gravity, or aging.

Some women find that wearing a pessary helps alleviate the discomfort caused by POP and helps empty the bladder. A gynecologist can fit you with a pessary in the office. If you have a pessary, once a month you need to remove the pessary or have your physician remove it to have it cleaned and re-inserted. Pessaries rarely cause problems but can increase the chance of developing vaginal irritation or infection. It’s important to have a pessary that fits properly.

The use of a pessary is a great non-surgical treatment for POP and is useful for women who either don’t want surgery or still want to have more children. Plus, pessaries are very effective. Studies show that women with POP find improvement with a pessary and for some women symptoms go away completely.

Sound good? Check in with your healthcare provider to see if a pessary is the perfect solution for your POP problems!

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