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Problems with pelvic floor muscles can result in incontinence, constipation, and even pelvic pain. Studies show that more than 20 million Americans of all ages suffer from bladder and bowel problems. The good news is there are a variety of effective treatments including physical therapy, medication and surgical intervention when necessary. Martha Jefferson Hospital offers a comprehensive range of services. For more information, please call us at 434-982-7009 or toll free at 1-888-652-6663. To contact the Women’s Health Center directly, call 434-244-4480.
Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence is the inability to control urination. Involuntary urination is only normal in infants, and is not the result of aging. It is estimated that only 10% of those dealing with incontinence report the problem to their physician, usually because they are too embarrassed to do so. However, if you do tell your physician about this problem, incontinence is easily treatable.
Types of Incontinence
- Stress Urinary Incontinence is due to poor bladder support by pelvic muscles, or a weak or damaged sphincter. Involuntary urination usually results from strain or stress on the abdomen, especially during coughing, sneezing, laughing, and walking.
- Urge Incontinence is synonymous with overactive bladder syndrome. The bladder contracts uncontrollably, resulting in a sudden urge to urination. People often feel that they cannot reach the toilet fast enough. Urge Incontinence can be from bladder or urinary tract infections, overactive nerves, or other unclear causes.
- Overflow Incontinence results from bladder weakness or a blocked urethra. The bladder simply overflows, because normal emptying is prevented. This is most common in men, diabetics, heavy alcohol users, and those with decreased nerve functioning.
- Environmental (Functional) Incontinence is the inability to get to the toilet quick enough because of mental/physical disability
- Nocturnal Enuresis occurs during sleep.
Diagnosis
If incontinence is a problem for you, don’t be embarrassed about discussing it you’re your doctor. This is not something you should have to live with, and it is easily treatable. Make an appointment with your regular physician, a urologist, or our Midlife Care Specialist, Pat Cheeks. To make diagnosis as accurate as possible, come prepared with:
- List of all medications that you are currently taking
- Dates and outcomes of any bladder-related tests or surgical procedures
- Bladder diary, including time of drinks (and the types of drinks), time of intentional and accidental urination (and the amount of urine), whether or not you felt a strong urge to urinate before the accidental urination, what you were doing at the time of accidental urination, and the number of pads/diapers you used that day.
Treatment
Incontinence can be treated through behavioral therapy, medicine, absorbent products, and in rare cases, surgery. Behavioral therapy includes special exercises to strength the sphincter and pelvic floor muscles and bladder retraining through timed voiding (regularly emptying the bladder on a predetermined schedule). Medications can be used to relax the bladder or tighten the sphincter muscles. Also, other current medications could affect bladder control, so you and your healthcare provider should discuss whether alternative medications would be better for you. Absorbent products, such as pads and diapers, are not actually treatments for incontinence, but they can be used as coping mechanisms during treatment. Surgery can be used to restore support of the pelvic floor muscles or reconstruct or compress the sphincter; in the most severe cases, surgery may result in the use of an artificial urinary sphincter.
Pelvic Pain
Chronic Pelvic Pain is one of the most common diseases affecting women today. It is estimated to affect 15% of women in the United States; yet only 40% of those women have discussed this with their doctors. Pelvic Pain can interfere with your normal life, limit physical activity, make sexual intercourse painful, and lead to depression.
Pelvic pain can begin “out-of-the-blue” or with a physical injury or trauma to the pelvic area, such as a hysterectomy or an appendectomy. This pain becomes chronic when the pain lasts for more than 6 months, and after the actual physical ailment has been treated. This means that the degree of pain perceived by those affected with pelvic pain seems to be disproportionate to the degree of actual tissue damage as detected by conventional screening methods.
Many people have a preconceived nothing that chronic pelvic pain is “all in your head,” but it is not! Chronic pelvic pain results from an interaction of the mind, the nervous system, and the body.
Treatments include medication and therapy. If you have a problem with pelvic pain, please make an appointment with our Midlife Care Specialist, Pat Cheeks, who has advanced training in women’s healthcare. To contact Pat, call 434-244-4480.
Constipation
Constipation can generally be attributed to lack of exercise and/or poor diet, particularly from deficiencies in liquid and fiber intakes. Constipation can also result from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, other medications, abuse of laxatives, or a stroke, among other causes.
Preventing Constipation:
- Eat a diet rich in fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) to help with your body’s digestion.
- Drink plenty of liquids (at least 8 glasses of water and juice every day). Limit intake of beverages with high levels of caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and sodas, which dehydrate your body.
- Exercise regularly. Even going for a 20-minute walk can help your body with digestion.
- Don’t use laxatives. The colon can become dependent on them to signal when to bring on a bowel movement. Use of laxatives over time can lead to damaged nerve cells in the colon, which can further inhibit regular bowel movements.
- Do not ignore the urge to go to the bathroom. Adults and children frequently ignore the urge to have a bowel movement for a variety of reasons, which can lead to constipation.
- Talk to your doctor about any medical conditions you have and medications you are taking to find out if they are contributing towards your constipation.
If you think you may have problems with chronic constipation, talk with your doctor or make an appointment with our Midlife Care Specialist, Pat Cheeks, by calling the Women’s Health Center at 434-244-4480.
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