Overcoming the Urge
Pelvic Floor Disorders Are Treatable
Do you know where every bathroom is? Do you avoid liquids or refrain from activities for fear of leakage? Then you may have a pelvic floor disorder.
For many, pelvic floor disorders create embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms that can interfere with everyday activities and overall enjoyment of life. Though pelvic floor dysfunction is extremely common, it is not the inevitable result of aging or having children. Symptoms are treatable. Learning more about them can be the first step. "Pelvic floor disorders, such as urinary incontinence, can be socially isolating," says Dr. Darlene Gaynor-Krupnick, urologist. "Many women cease exercising, for instance, and then medical problems can snowball from that point on. There are many treatments available to improve one's quality of life."
Know the Signs
The following are symptoms of pelvic floor disorder:
–Difficulty holding urine or feces
–Trouble emptying the bladder or bowel
–Pain in the lower abdominal and/or pelvic region
–Having an uncomfortably full feeling in the vagina, or even a visible bulge protruding through the vaginal opening
Treatment Options
|
Treatment depends on the severity
of the condition. Many conditions
are treated first with behavioral
therapy. This can include pelvic
muscle training (such as Kegel
exercises) to help develop muscle
control. Some conditions can be
treated with devices like a pessary,
which is a removable ring-shaped
device that is placed into the
vagina to help support the areas
of pelvic organ prolapse.
Surgery is also an option to treat
many pelvic floor disorders. Some
patients require sacrocolpopexy,
a procedure to surgically correct
vaginal vault prolapse. Mesh is
used to hold the vagina in the
correct anatomical position. If your
doctor recommends
sacrocolpopexy, you may be a
candidate for the da Vinci robotic sacrocolpopexy. This minimally invasive procedure uses a state-of-the-art surgical system to correct vaginal vault prolapse.
