Urinary Incontinence
Women affected by pelvic floor disorders—such as stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse—are often referred to urogynecologists, who have received highly specialized training in treatment of pelvic floor disorders. These specialists can also help women who are in need of specialized care for complications stemming from vaginal mesh.
Pelvic floor disorders occur when the pelvic floor is weakened because of childbirth, obesity, surgery, disease or even repetitive heavy lifting. Many women experience incontinence and pelvic pain due to pelvic floor disorders. Women may also experience difficulty emptying the bladder or bowels and pelvic organ —the dropping of pelvic organs from their normal position.
Depending upon the severity of symptoms, non-surgical therapies are usually the first approach used in the treatment of pelvic floor disorders. These include medications, pelvic muscle exercise, lifestyle and diet changes, vaginal support devices, and electric stimulation of pelvic floor muscles. If these methods don’t improve symptoms, surgical options are explored.
While many primary care physicians and gynecologists are knowledgeable about pelvic floor disorders, a urogynecologist holds an additional level of expertise in the treatment of these issues. Their special expertise in vaginal surgery can minimize the risk of complications. Women may need to see a urogynecologist when they experience incontinence, pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction.
For many women suffering these complications, a urogynecologist needs to remove the transvaginal mesh implant to restore health and quality of life. Mesh is intended to be a permanent surgical implant and can be very difficult to remove. The skill of a urogynecologist can increase the chances of successful revision surgery and decrease the risk of multiple procedures being necessary to repair the damage done by the mesh.
Information based on The American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) – http://www.augs.org/. Accessed 11/2/2015.
Related blog posts
Loss of Bladder Control: Causes, Treatment, & Prevention
Urinary incontinence, or the loss of bladder control, is a common and embarrassing problem. The severity ranges from occasional leakage when you cough or sneeze to having an urge so sudden and strong you don't get to a toilet in time. Although it occurs more often as...
Types Urinary Incontinence and Effective Treatments
Nothing is worse than sneezing and wetting your pants in public. Urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary loss of urine. Over 33 million Americans suffer from some urinary incontinence or bladder conditions, which often causes embarrassment for many. While...
How to Prevent UTIs
Burning, urgency to pee, frequent urination, low back pain. Symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTIs) are painful and annoying, especially if you experience them frequently. Caused by bacteria, women are more likely to have them because bacteria from stools can come...