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Women's Health News
Incontinence Is Common And Can Be Cured
There is only one reason for a woman to be embarrassed about urinary incontinence these days.
That's if she is suffering from symptoms and not doing anything about it.
The fact is, an estimated 13 million Americans are affected by incontinence-and the medical community has responded with tremendous advances in diagnostics and treatments.
"There is a current focus on continence issues," explains Matthew Clark, M.D., who is a walking example of this trend, as a representative of a new medical specialty called urogynecology. "We are able to impact the majority of patients by improving their quality of life and returning them to a normal state of function."
This might be news to many women, especially since the prognosis has shifted so dramatically in the last couple decades. "A generation ago, the notion that nothing could be done about incontinence was not necessarily wrong," admits Dr. Clark. "There weren't many effective therapies, and some potentially made things worse."
All that has changed, and there's no better testament to this fact in Orange County than the Center for Urinary Continence at Hoag Health Center-Aliso Viejo, where the latest advances can be found under one roof.
There are various types of continence problems, including difficulty with urine control, leakage and frequency, as well as pain. According to Dr. Clark, it's time to visit a physician, "When symptoms start to affect a person, to restrict her socially so that she starts avoiding activities, circumstances or opportunities specifically because of bladder concerns. Almost all patients are initially hesitant to discuss continence issues, but most express relief to talk about it and learn that they are by no means alone."
Patients at the Center for Urinary Continence have access to the state-of-the-art urodynamics lab, where the causes of incontinence can be pinpointed in a sensitive, private setting. "The importance of the testing center is that we are able to find what the patient's dominant problem is and address the therapy more specifically to their issues, instead of making assumptions," says Dr. Clark.
Depending upon the nature of the problem, Hoag has an increasing number of options for patients. "Most respond to the frontline therapies," explains Dr. Clark. "Fifty to 70 percent respond well to physical therapy and 60 to 70 percent respond well to medication.
For those who do not, Hoag offers more progressive treatments, like the injection of a bulking agent around the urethra to reduce the stress placed upon it. Or neurosacral modulation, the insertion of a small pacemaker-like device that stimulates the pelvic nerves to return the bladder to normal function.
Surgery patients recover on the recently renovated top floor of Hoag's tower overlooking Newport Harbor. "The 10th floor is a fabulous place for patients to recover from surgery," explains Dr. Clark. "We have a specialized nursing staff that understands the patient's conditions and knows how to recover a patient rapidly and effectively. We have large, private rooms and the views are unparalleled. Many patients don't want to go home because they feel spoiled by the service and environment."
When they do go home, they often find their lives have changed dramatically for the better.
Lori, a 49-year-old, Orange County resident, who underwent a seriously botched hysterectomy at another hospital more than two decades ago, has since suffered from incontinence and other symptoms. She didn't respond to conservative therapies, but has benefited greatly from neurosacral modulation. "I'm thrilled," Lori explains. "I'm a medical challenge, but I have my life back."
Lori was pleased at Dr. Clark's persistence in presenting new treatment options for her, even something like neurosacral modulation, which she had never heard of. "I was anxious to try something that could work," she remembers. "Dr. Clark really impressed me. He was very thorough. I felt like I could trust him."
She did, and now Lori hopes other women learn that incontinence can be treated.
"So many women I've talked to think incontinence is just part of life," she says. "But I encourage women to go by their intuition when they think something's not right. There is another option, and it's just a phone call away."
For more information about the Center for Urinary Continence at Hoag Health Center - Aliso Viejo, please call 949/425-1129.
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