FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- One in four U.S. women aged 30-59 experience bladder control problems according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Known as urinary incontinence, this prevalent problem also troubles 35 percent of women over age 65.
"It's one of the taboo subjects in medicine," said General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital's specialist in euro gynecology, Dr. Robert Grover. "People are ashamed to talk about urinary incontinence."
Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control which results in accidentally leaking urine. Some women, according to the NIDDK, may lose urine while running or coughing. This is called stress incontinence. Others may feel a strong, sudden need to urinate right before losing urine which is called urgency incontinence.
"A lot of women are told that it's just part of getting older--it's what you have to deal with--but that's really not the case. There are a lot of things that we can do for it," Grover said.
Products such as pads and adult diapers sold at grocery stores can be used to mitigate the problem, but Grover says part of his job is to try to keep people out of those products.
"Generally we treat people with medications. There is a lot we can do with physical therapy, electrical stimulation therapy, and acupuncture therapy through stimulating a nerve near the ankle bone. Sometimes just bladder retraining and teaching people how to regain control of their need to void can be done," Grover said.
There are surgical options as well.
"The most common surgical procedure worldwide right now is what's called the mid-urethral sling where we put a little one-centimeter-wide piece of mesh under the urethra and that works very, very well," Grover said.
"Fortunately, today we have many more minimally invasive treatment options than we've ever had before," Grover said. "Seek out avenues to try to treat this through your primary care provider or specialist. This isn't something that you necessarily have to live with."
To schedule an appointment with your primary care provider call the appointment line at 1-866-299-4234.
(Editor's note: Brooks is the marketing specialist at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital.)
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