Stress urinary incontinence affects millions of women worldwide. This common affliction often occurs as a late-stage byproduct of vaginal childbirth and is further exacerbated by the natural changes within the vaginal canal. Most women approaching or on the other side of menopause are all-too-familiar with the symptoms of vaginal atrophy. While dryness and other concerns can be frustrating, stress urinary incontinence can severely blunt a woman’s ability to enjoy her life to the fullest. As such, this is a problem we should be talking about.
Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Closer Look
There are a few different types of urinary incontinence. Urge incontinence may be induced or made worse by certain foods or poor bladder habits. Where stress urinary continence is concerned, it is the weakness of the muscles that line the pelvic floor that fails. A woman. This weakness leads to accidental leakage under “stress.” This could be nothing more than running to catch an elevator, or laughing at a friend’s joke. In extreme cases, walking across a room may be sufficient stress for urine leakage.
Treating Stress Urinary Incontinence
Women struggling with stress urinary incontinence may be advised to manage their condition with lifestyle modifications. These include minimizing fluid intake. This piece of advice has its downside, as you can imagine. Women may also be told to avoid certain foods or to perform pelvic floor exercises. Yes, Kegels. Exercising the pelvic floor muscles can be beneficial for tightening. However, the extent of laxity dictates how much improvement may be achieved without surgery.
The Surgical Approach
In recent years, there has been a fair amount of media attention placed on the vaginal mesh. This has led to apprehension for many women who suffer needlessly with stress urinary incontinence. Bladder suspension is a procedure that has been refined over time and has been proven safe throughout years of successful use.
At Valley Urologic Medical Group, women from the Rancho Mirage area have options in the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence.
