Bladder control
Pelvic support problems
Bowel control
Pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, and the changes in female anatomy often contribute to women experiencing poor bladder or bowel control, pelvic support problems, and pelvic pain. A variety of surgical and non-surgical treatments are available that can eliminate or control such problems and allow women to lead full, active lives. The Long Island College Hospital Gynecologic Urology practice has the latest diagnostic tools and the clinical experience to identify the causes of such problems, and help patients select an appropriate treatment.
Bladder control
The National Institutes of Health estimate that more than 13 million American
men and women experience urinary incontinence. It is often temporary,
and it always results from an underlying medical condition. Women experience
incontinence twice as often as men, and older women experience it more
often than younger women. Incontinence is not inevitable! It is treatable
and often curable.
At LICH, our specialists use the most up-to-date diagnostic tools and
techniques to pinpoint the underlying cause of your condition with a high
rate of accuracy. These include:
Urodynamics - a procedure during which thin catheters
and a computer are used to study how your bladder stores and empties fluid.
Cyctoscopy – The use of a small telescope attached
to a video camera to see the internal surface of the bladder.
Both procedures are done without sedation on an out-patient basis here
in our offices.
A range of treatments, both surgical and non-surgical, are available here, and have been shown to have a high rate of success.
Non-surgical therapies include:
• Pelvic muscle exercises.
• Biofeedback for muscle training.
• Insertion of devices, such as a pessary, to support the bladder.
• Medications.
With regard to surgery, LICH specialists are expert in non-invasive (laparoscopic)
surgical techniques, many of which may result in same-day discharge. Because
the incisions used in these procedures are minimal, recuperation periods
average about one-to-two weeks.
Pelvic support problems
These are also known as dropped bladder or dropped uterus, but other organs
such as the small intestine and rectum can be affected. Childbirth and
aging are the primary causes of pelvic support problems.
The LICH Gynecologic Urology team is skilled in the diagnosis of the underlying
cause of your pelvic support problem. We also offer a comprehensive treatment
approach that may include: pelvic muscle exercises, devices such as a
pessary, medication, dietary changes, and surgery.
Bowel control
Pelvic floor dysfunction resulting from childbirth can affect bowel control.
Through careful diagnosis, our specialists can help patients select a
range of treatments that include dietary changes, biofeedback for muscle
training, as well as surgery.
At LICH, Gynecologic Urology patients will find an experienced team of
health care providers, access to the latest technology, and an interdisciplinary
approach that brings together physicians, nurses, physical therapists,
nutritionists, and others to create a comprehensive treatment program.
For more information, call (718) 780-2810