Vim & Vigor - Winter 2012 - Community Healthcare - (Page 4)

From to Treatment helps one local woman solve her incontinence issue Silence Success by ElisE sims vice president of rehabilitative and therapy services for Community Healthcare System. “Virtually all types of incontinence can be treated, whether it’s with medication, behavioral modifications, bladder training, biofeedback, or surgery when other treatments fail.” Incontinence is a common but distressing condition for millions of Americans. Individuals of all ages can experience continence issues; however, many don’t seek proper treatment because of embarrassment. Types of urinary incontinence vary from individual to individual, but overflow incontinence, urge incontinence and stress incontinence are the most common. W hen Jane*, 34, was offered her dream summer job as a park ranger in the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher National Parks Service program, she was hesitant to jump at the opportunity. Instead of being excited and overjoyed, she was terrified and worried because she was suffering from incontinence. “I had lost hope, thinking there would be no way for me to perform my duties, as I was constantly going to the bathroom,” she says. Determined to make it work, Jane sought out treatment options. “I was referred by my urologist to the expert care of Maria Liberio, P.T., DPT, a physical therapist at Community Hospital Fitness Pointe®. She gave me hope, offered support and truly cared about me and improving my quality of life,” Jane says. After eight to nine weeks of physical therapy, with one session per week plus homework, Jane was back on track for her summer position at Mount Rainier National Park. Suffering in Silence “Unfortunately, it’s one of those topics that people don’t want to admit or be associated with or talk about,” says Liberio. “It’s one of the reasons Jane didn’t want to reveal her full name for this story. We want to change that perception and let people know that there are new, very effective therapies and treatments available to help those going through it.” The hospitals of Community Healthcare System offer a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic services as well as highly skilled professionals to care for patients who have continence issues. “We offer the latest technology and blend it together with a skilled, caring professional staff,” says Craig Bolda, finding the right courSe of Action The first step of treatment is discussing the condition with a primary care physician, an Ob-Gyn or a urologist to properly identify the type of incontinence and its underlying cause. A series of tests can be performed to evaluate and determine these causes. Besides the support of highly trained medical professionals on staff at Community Healthcare System, the hospitals provide comprehensive diagnostic testing for advanced analysis of urinary and fecal disorders. They also analyze muscle function and perform neurodiagnostics. With the information gathered from these advanced diagnostic tests, the healthcare team is able to record and study the electrical activity in the brain and nervous system to determine if they are functioning correctly. 4 Vim & Vigor • W i n ter 2 012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2012 - Community Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2012 - Community Healthcare
Contents
Community Message
Community Briefs
From Silence to Success
Winning the Weight War
Because I Said So!
What’s Wrong with This Picture?
The Future Is Now
Everyday Hero
What Does 200 Calories Look Like?
Johnny Be Good
In the Driver’s Seat
We’ve Got Your Back
Bank on Your Health
Virtual Health
A Symphony of Comfort
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Catherine Hospital
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Mary Medical Center
SPOTLIGHT ON: Community Hospital
Miracle on Ice

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2012 - Community Healthcare