Over 33 million Americans struggle with urinary incontinence, a condition that causes involuntary urine leakage. While it can affect men and women alike, about two-thirds of people affected by incontinence are women.
There are a few reasons why urinary incontinence affects women more than men, from pregnancy and childbirth to hormonal changes that come with menopause and age. Involuntary leakage is often inconvenient and embarrassing, but it’s important to realize that it’s treatable.
Incontinence is a very common medical issue, but it can be embarrassing to bring up with your doctor. If your symptoms negatively impact your self-esteem or you find yourself avoiding social activities, it’s time to learn more about your treatment options.
At OB-GYN Associates of Marietta, we understand how symptoms of urinary incontinence can impact your quality of life — and we’re here to help. Our urogynecology team specializes in diagnosing and treating urinary incontinence with a range of options to fit every woman.
Many biological processes, including pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause, put stress on your pelvic organs and muscles. These physical changes and hormonal fluctuation can lead to weakened pelvic floor muscles over time.
Weak pelvic floor muscles often result in urinary incontinence. If you’re diagnosed with incontinence, it means you have less control over your bladder than you did in the past.
The two most common types of incontinence are stress incontinence and urge incontinence. Stress incontinence is diagnosed when you experience urine leakage with sudden movements, such as coughing or laughing.
Urge incontinence is diagnosed if you often feel a sudden, intense need to urinate. You may have mixed incontinence if you notice symptoms of both stress and urge incontinence.
Our team at OB-GYN Associates of Marietta offers comprehensive treatment for urinary incontinence. We run a panel of studies to evaluate your bladder function and develop a treatment plan that fits your needs.
There are several lifestyle therapies that can help improve urinary incontinence symptoms. We may recommend fluid management and delayed urination strategies, which can include limiting your fluid intake to six to eight 8-ounce cups per day.
Avoid drinking excess fluids. Certain beverages can increase your need to urinate, so avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks to minimize urinary urges.
Kegel exercises are targeted exercises to build strength in your pelvic floor. Since incontinence is often linked to weak pelvic floor muscles, regular Kegel exercises can improve symptoms.
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to manage your incontinence symptoms, our team offers several different medical treatments to address the cause behind your condition.
MonaLisa Touch® is a gentle laser treatment designed to restore vaginal tissue. It can improve incontinence symptoms, along with other common problems like vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. Treatment takes just five minutes, and there’s no downtime required.
Treatments to relax bladder muscles include medication or Botox® injections. Urethral bulking is another option. It involves injections to improve your urinary sphincter’s ability to close completely.
In more severe cases, we may recommend minimally invasive surgery to restore pelvic floor strength or nerve stimulation to improve neuromuscular communication between your brain and your urinary tract.
Don’t settle for a life with embarrassing urinary incontinence. Find personalized care and incontinence treatment that works at OB-GYN Associates of Marietta. Call the office in Marietta or Woodstock, Georgia, or request an appointment online.
