Urinary Incontinence Specialist
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Center for Urogynecology and Female Pelvic Health
Urogynecologist & Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgeon located in Venice, FL
Urinary incontinence is a common problem in women that may occur at any age. Though you may feel embarrassed about your loss of bladder control, urinary incontinence is treatable. At the Center for Urogynecology and Female Pelvic Health in Venice, Florida, John Devine II, MD, a fellowship-trained urogynecologist, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence. To schedule a consultation, call the office or request an appointment online today.
Urinary Incontinence Q&A
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine. The loss of urine may occur due to an increase in abdominal pressure from a cough or sneeze or loss of urethral support.
Anyone can develop urinary incontinence, however, it’s more common in women. Women are at greater risk of having urinary incontinence because of the unique health issues women may experience throughout their life — pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause.
These health events may affect the structure and function of your bladder or urethra, as well as the pelvic floor muscles that support these organs.
What are the types of urinary incontinence?
There are many types of urinary incontinence. However, stress and urge incontinence are the most common types in women.
Stress incontinence
Stress incontinence causes urine loss because of an increase in abdominal pressure on the bladder. The pressure may come from a cough or sneeze, or when lifting a heavy object.
It’s associated with loss of support at the urethra, which is the tube that empties the bladder.
Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence, also known as overactive bladder, is the loss of urine associated with an urge to void that you can’t control. This urge may happen at any time and lead to a full loss of the contents of your bladder before you make it to the toilet.
Urinary incontinence may also be a symptom of pelvic prolapse, which is when your pelvic organs (cervix, uterus, bladder, or rectum) fall into or out of your vagina.
What can I expect during a urinary incontinence consultation?
Dr. Devine specializes in urogynecology and you can expect a comprehensive, patient-centered exam when you visit the Center for Urogynecology and Female Pelvic Health for a urinary incontinence consultation. He schedules lengthy appointments for first-time patients and special consultations so he can gather as much information as possible.
During your consultation, he asks detailed questions about your symptoms. He also reviews your gynecological and obstetric medical history, as well as your surgical history.
Dr. Devine then performs a physical and pelvic exam and may run diagnostic tests to confirm or rule out an underlying condition that may explain your urinary incontinence.
Testing may include:
- Blood work
- Urinalysis
- Ultrasound
- Bladder stress test
- Cystoscopy
- Urodynamics
Finding the root cause of your urinary incontinence helps Dr. Devine develop an effective treatment plan.
How is urinary incontinence treated?
Dr. Devine creates a personalized treatment plan for urinary incontinence based on the type and severity of symptoms.
Treatment may include:
- Bladder retraining
- Medications
- Botox® injections to improve bladder muscle control
- Axonics® sacral neuromodulation
- InterStim® sacral neuromodulation
- Non-mesh pelvic reconstruction
- Surgery
Dr. Devine also provides consultations and surgical intervention for women experiencing complications from mesh placement for the treatment of urinary incontinence or pelvic prolapse.
To schedule an appointment with an expert in women's health and urinary incontinence, call the Center for Urogynecology and Female Pelvic Health, or request an appointment online today.
