Help is here for urinary incontinence or leaking urine
Our San Antonio OBGYN clinic is here to support all aspects of a woman’s health – not just her gynecological and obstetric needs. For some women, leaking urine is an embarrassing secret, and many accept that it’s just a natural side effect of having children and aging. However, we want you to know that you don’t have to be ashamed of urinary incontinence, and you don’t have to live with the uncomfortable symptoms any longer. Help is here at Legacy Women’s Health.
Leaking urine can be mild or severe, and it can have many causes. The first step to resolving the problem is telling your OBGYN. We can perform a diagnostic evaluation to find out what’s causing your urinary incontinence, and we can create a targeted treatment plan just for you.
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence can include a variety of diagnoses, with one thing in common: leaking urine. For some women, a few drops of urine might leak out when they move suddenly or laugh out loud. Others might experience a sudden gush of urine that they can’t stop until their bladder is completely empty.
Several other symptoms may also indicate that it’s time to speak to a physician at our San Antonio OBGYN clinic.
- Pain when you urinate
- Leaking urine while you are asleep
- Waking up in the middle of the night to rush to the bathroom
- Needing to urinate more frequently than normal
- Experiencing urgency, or a strong urge to urinate
While they can certainly be inconvenient, urinary symptoms like these are quite common in women. Thankfully, effective treatments are available that can help you get symptoms of urinary incontinence under control.
How can urinary incontinence be treated?
Treatment for urinary incontinence depends on what type of condition you are experiencing. Your Legacy Women’s Health OBGYN will diagnose your condition by taking a thorough medical history and performing a physical exam to check for pelvic organ prolapse or other problems. Your doctor may also order medical tests, such as a urine analysis or pad weight test, in which a pad is worn to catch urine and then weighed to measure exactly how much is leaking. It’s also a good idea to start keeping a diary to track your symptoms, so that you can provide detailed information to your physician at your appointments.
Stress incontinence, or urine leakage caused by pressure, along with urge incontinence, also called “overactive bladder,” can often be improved with lifestyle changes, such as weight loss or “training” your bladder to hold urine for longer periods of time. Medications or pelvic floor therapy may also be prescribed. In more severe cases, your OBGYN can perform certain surgical procedures or inject Botox into the bladder.
The good news is that most cases of urinary incontinence are treatable or even curable, so don’t wait to get the help you need. Be sure to discuss any urinary incontinence symptoms with your OBGYN, especially if you experience symptoms frequently or find that the condition is limiting your ability to go about your normal routine or enjoy life. Contact our San Antonio OBGYN clinic to schedule an appointment and get the help that you need.
