What are pelvic floor disorders?
Doctors who specialize in urogynecology focus on pelvic floor disorders, which arise when your pelvic floor muscles are too weak or damaged to function properly.
Your pelvic floor muscles essentially form a sling across the bottom of your pelvis. These muscles hold your uterus, bladder, vagina, and bowel in their proper place. Some of the muscles are also responsible for controlling urination and bowel movements.
Two primary types of pelvic floor disorders treated by urogynecologists are pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.
What are the different types of pelvic organ prolapse?
When pelvic floor muscles fail, your organs can prolapse, or drop out of their normal position. As a result, you may develop:
- Uterine prolapse: uterus falls toward the vagina
- Cystocele: bladder falls toward the vagina
- Rectocele: rectum bulges through the back wall of the vagina
When the uterus or bladder prolapse, they also cause a bulge in the vaginal wall. They may also come down through and protrude out of the vagina.
What type of urinary incontinence might I develop?
Although there are other types of urinary incontinence, such as urge incontinence (also called an overactive bladder), stress incontinence is the type that develops when the pelvic floor muscles are damaged or weakened. As a result, your bladder leaks when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or perform any other activity that puts pressure on the bladder.
What treatments are provided by urogynecologists?
Before developing a treatment plan for incontinence, your doctor performs urodynamic testing, which is a series of tests to determine the exact problem in your urinary tract.
Your doctor may test the amount of urine released, the amount left in the bladder, pressure in the bladder, and your ability to stop or start the urine flow. The information provided guides the best treatment for your incontinence.
A few examples of nonsurgical treatments and surgical procedures for incontinence and prolapse include:
- Pessary: inserted into the vagina to support pelvic organs
- Transvaginal tape: treats stress incontinence by partially closing the urethra
- Transobturator tape: also treats stress incontinence by partially closing the urethra
- Cystocele repair: surgical repair of muscles that hold the bladder in place
- Bladder implant stimulator: implant releases mild electrical impulses to treat overactive bladder
- Pelvic floor reconstruction: minimally invasive surgery to repair pelvic floor muscles
If you develop unwanted urinary leakage or signs of prolapse, such as a bulge in your vaginal wall, call North County Women’s Specialists or book an appointment online.
