Vim & Vigor - Fall 2017 - University of Virginia - 54

A

Half of women

pelvic floor disorder can make life uncomfortable and isolating. If any of
the scenarios below sounds familiar, talk with your doctor about whether
you should see an expert at UVA Women's Center for Continence and
Pelvic Surgery. This team helps women with these problems every day
and offers a full range of treatments-often without the need for surgery.
"A woman should never feel prevented from doing the things she loves because
of an embarrassing and frustrating pelvic floor problem. Our team can create a
treatment plan to fit her specific goals and needs," says Kathie Hullfish, MD, a UVA
board-certified and fellowship-trained urogynecologist (also known as an expert in
female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery).

between the ages
of 40 and 60 (and
nearly 75 percent
of women over
age 75) have some

1

IF I TRY TO EXERCISE,
I LEAK. Urinary stress
incontinence is due to
weak muscles and tissues around the urethra (urinary tube).
Women often think the only option is
wearing thick pads or diapers for the
rest of their lives. Many don't realize
there are effective treatments, including
a 25-minute outpatient procedure that
can offer a cure for many.

2

I HAVE TO 'GO' ALL
THE TIME. Are you
always on the lookout for
the nearest bathroom?
Urge incontinence, or overactive bladder, happens when the bladder muscles
squeeze at the wrong times. Some
people have a combination of urge and
stress incontinence. The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration recently approved
the use of Botox injections (yes, the
same substance used to smooth facial
wrinkles) for severe cases of overactive
bladder. UVA also offers a pacemakerlike implant called Interstim® to inhibit
unwanted bladder muscle contractions.

3

I'M AFRAID TO LEAVE
THE HOUSE BECAUSE
OF BOWEL LEAKS.
Fecal incontinence
affects 2 to 15 percent of Americans,
men and women equally. Medications
can help, but the pacemaker-like
implant Interstim can offer a cure
for certain causes.

54

FA L L 2 0 1 7

4

form of urinary

I FEEL A HEAVY PRESSURE IN MY PELVIS.
The pressure may only go
away when you lie down.
Pelvic organ prolapse is common after
childbirth or menopause. It occurs when
support around the vagina weakens and
one or more of the pelvic organs (bladder, bowel, uterus or rectum) herniate
into the vagina. UVA offers a variety of
nonsurgical and surgical treatments for
this condition.
"Many women think that wearing pads
for urinary leakage is a routine part of
aging. I want to stress that while these
issues are incredibly common, they are
not normal," says J. Megan Dillman,
MSN, WHNP, a women's health nurse
practitioner at UVA Women's Center
for Continence and Pelvic Surgery. n

incontinence.
Yet half of these
women never
report it to
their doctors,
according to
the American
Academy of
Physicians.
APPOINTMENTS

Make an Appointment
Pelvic floor disorders are more common in the middle to
later years but can occur in your 20s or 30s. Before turning
to surgery, it's best to consider all of your options. Start by
seeing the nurse practitioner at UVA Women's Center for
Continence and Pelvic Surgery. Call 434-202-5446 or go to
uvahealth.com/pelvicexperts.
http://www.uvahealth.com/pelvicexperts
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2017 - University of Virginia
