Urinary incontinence — it’s embarrassing, frustrating, and a problem for almost every other woman you know. That’s why we prioritize discussing, diagnosing, and dealing with urinary incontinence at our practice.
Our team at Marina Del Rey OB/GYN sheds light on this problem that’s often swept under the rug and explains the treatments we offer that help you get back to feeling like yourself.
The stats
Urinary incontinence is one of the most common problems for women, but many go through it without any help. So, we believe the first step in finding relief is knowing you’re not alone. Here are some of the numbers:
- 25-33% of women and men suffer from urinary incontinence
- 33 million people have an overactive bladder
- 50% of women have urinary incontinence
- 75% have urine leakage
The most shocking statistic? Only around 25% of women ever bring up the problem with their gynecologist.
The causes
Urinary incontinence can stem from a number of causes and conditions, from the effects of vaginal delivery to neuromuscular disorders that affect your bladder muscles. Generally, we classify urinary incontinence in one of three ways based on the cause: stress, urgency, or mixed.
Stress incontinence
Stress incontinence occurs when pressure on your bladder from coughing, sneezing, laughing, and exercising causes urine to leak. You may also develop stress incontinence if you have a pelvic floor disorder.
Urgency incontinence
Do you get the urge to “go” suddenly and without warning? Do you urinate involuntarily? You have urgency incontinence, also known as overactive bladder. This type usually stems from a neuromuscular issue.
Mixed incontinence
If you experience stress and urgency incontinence, we diagnose you with mixed incontinence.
The way back to normal
Sadly, many women believe that urinary incontinence is their new normal. But nothing could be further from the truth. We offer treatments that range from lifestyle adjustments and at-home exercises to advanced therapies. Here’s a closer look.
FemiLift™ CO2 laser
FemiLift is one of the leading technologies in vaginal rejuvenation. It helps you regain control of your bladder by stimulating collagen production and shrinking lax tissue. This process creates firmer, more resilient tissues to support your bladder and urethra and stop urine leakage.
Botox®
You’ve heard of Botox treatments for fine lines and wrinkles, but did you know that they go far beyond the cosmetic application? Botox treats a variety of health conditions, including migraines, eye problems, and also, urinary incontinence.
During your treatment, we carefully insert a needle into your bladder through your urethra with the help of a tiny camera. Then, a microneedle delivers the Botox medication into your bladder. Botox helps your muscles relax, which gives you more time to get to the bathroom.
Lifestyle adjustments
You can also play a role in helping urinary incontinence. Often the best way to manage urinary incontinence is to address the underlying cause and contributing factors. That may mean losing weight, controlling diabetes, limiting caffeinated and carbonated beverages, avoiding alcohol, and quitting smoking.
Talk to us about some of the causes of your urinary incontinence, and we can help you create a game plan.
At-home exercises
Exercises you can do at home, such as Kegel exercises, go a long way in strengthening your pelvic floor and helping you conquer urinary incontinence.
For more information about urinary incontinence and how to manage it, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment at one of our offices in Marina Del Rey, Hawthorne, South Gate, or Carson, California.