The Modern Woman providers understand the anxiety and social impairment that results from incontinence. We offer expertise in determining the underlying causes of incontinence and finding the best treatment for each individual to help women find relief from this crippling condition.

Urinary incontinence is common and embarrassing condition affecting millions of women of all ages. Women who lack the ability to hold back urine often live in constant fear of public humiliation, resulting in the avoidance of activities of both personal enjoyment and professional duties. Urine loss can also occur during sexual activity, adding extra emotional distress and complicating personal relationships. Bowel incontinence is common in older women, and the magnitude of embarrassment associated with involuntary passing of fecal matter often keeps women living with the condition from reporting the problem to their doctors.

Most incontinence problems occur when the pelvic floor is not functioning properly. The pelvic floor, also know as the pelvic diaphragm, is the set of muscles responsible for maintaining the right amount of pressure in the abdomen, as well as supporting pelvic organs. Some factors that may increase the risk of incontinence include pregnancy, vaginal delivery, trauma, surgery, and radiation, among others.

The following questionnaire can guide you in deciding whether or not it is time to talk to your physician about incontinence:

• Do you urinate with greater frequency than every two hours during the daytime, or do you often rise more than once to use the bathroom after
  settling in for a night’s rest?
• Do you sometimes have trouble voiding your bladder even when you have an urge to urinate, or does your bladder feel full even after urinating?
• Do you sometimes not have enough time to get to the bathroom after a sudden urge to urinate?
• Does bathroom usage affect the way you schedule your day or cause regular interruptions to your daily schedule?
• Before fully emptying your bladder, can you stop your urine flow once it has started?
• Do you experience difficulty in starting your urine flow?
• Do certain sense experiences other than touch trigger an urge to urinate?

If you experience difficulty with one or more of these issues, The Modern Woman is here to help.

MORE INFORMATION

• Learn about the common types of bladder control issues.
• Learn about treatment options for stress incontinence and urge incontinence.
• Learn about the common symptoms of an overactive bladder.