It happens. You laugh or sneeze, and a little urine leaks out. It’s a normal part of the human experience. Unfortunately, it’s an experience that becomes more frequent with age. By age 60, about a third of women deal with this issue as do about 5% of men.
Doctors call this urinary incontinence. The widespread nature of this issue is exactly why Abraham Woods, MD offers urinary incontinence treatment at the Center for Urology in Altamonte Springs, Florida. If you’re embarrassed by leakage, here’s how Dr. Woods can help.
Understanding urinary incontinence
Your urethra is the pathway that carries urine from your bladder to outside your body. You can think of it as a tube that should seal shut when not in use. Over the years, though, your urethra can lose its ability to stay sealed, contributing to incontinence.
There are several different types of urinary incontinence, but they’re all marked by the inability to prevent urine from leaking. Whether you can’t make it to the toilet in time or you have involuntary urine loss when you sneeze, laugh, cough, or lift something heavy, you’re probably dealing with urinary incontinence.
Aside from aging, several conditions can result in urinary incontinence, such as pregnancy and childbirth, kidney stones, and prostate issues. It’s a common issue, but that doesn’t make it any less embarrassing.
If it’s affecting your quality of life or your self-esteem, don’t hesitate to talk to Dr. Woods. He has treatment options that can help.
Your urinary incontinence treatment options
Dr. Woods offers four different treatments to address urinary incontinence.
The O-Shot®
The O-Shot safely uses your body’s own healing power to reduce incontinence symptoms. By taking a small sample of your blood, Dr. Woods isolates its regenerative components into a solution called platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Injecting PRP into your urethral tissue supports healing.
Collagen injections
If the muscles that should seal off your urethra are likely to blame, Dr. Woods may recommend collagen injections. The collagen helps to support and restore these muscles.
Biofeedback therapy
Using specialized instruments to target your pelvic floor muscles, this option helps you train and strengthen the muscles. Biofeedback therapy helps you regain greater bladder control.
Emsella® therapy
Dr. Woods may recommend the Emsella® Chair treatment, an FDA-approved, nonsurgical, and non-pharmaceutical treatment option that involves six treatments total. The EMSella chair delivers high-intensity electromagnetic technology to stimulate the deep muscles of the pelvic floor. The muscles contract and get stronger, which relieves the symptoms of urinary incontinence.
Surgical procedures
If you don’t respond to the more conservative treatments above, Dr. Woods may recommend surgery to correct the issue causing your urinary incontinence.
If you’re suffering from embarrassing urinary incontinence, it’s time to take control. Call the Center for Urology office at (407) 305-3249, or request a consultation online.