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TriState Health has a large variety of specialty clinics ranging from wound healing and hyperbaric medicine to podiatry and nephrology. Our newest clinic, TriState Urogynecology, is the only one in the region to treat a broad range of female pelvic conditions, including frequent bladder infections, pelvic pain, organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and more!

Recently, we sat down with Julius Szigeti II, MD, board-certified gynecologist, to ask the most common questions concerning female urinary incontinence and what you can expect when visiting our urogynecology clinic.

Q: What is urinary incontinence and are there different types?
A: Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine, which can range from occasional dribbles when you cough or sneeze, to complete loss of bladder control. The three most common types of incontinence include:

• Stress Incontinence: Sometimes when you
  exert pressure on your bladder from coughing, sneezing, exercising, laughing, or lifting, you may experience urine leakage – this is considered stress incontinence.
• Urge Incontinence: Urge incontinence is the sudden or intense urge to urinate, followed by involuntary loss of urine.
• Overflow Incontinence: Sometimes when the bladder doesn’t empty properly, it can cause it to constantly dribble or leak urine. This can happen due to obstruction, weak bladder, nerve damage, or other medical issues.

Q: What are the common causes of urinary incontinence?
A: Common causes include weakened pelvic floor muscles, often due to vaginal childbirth or aging. Other causes include recurring urinary tract infections, genetics, chronic constipation, and obesity.

Q: How is urinary incontinence diagnosed and what treatment options are available at TriState?
A: Diagnosis typically involves a medical history review, physical examination, urinalysis, and possibly other tests such as a bladder scan for residual urine, urodynamic testing, and cystoscopy. A cystoscopy is looking inside the bladder with a small tube with a camera. Treatment options at TriState Urogynecology could include, but are not limited to:

• Lifestyle changes, such as bladder training and dietary adjustments
• Pelvic floor exercises
• Medications
• Medical devices
• Surgery

Q: Can urinary incontinence be prevented?
A: While it may not always be preventable, certain lifestyle choices like maintaining a healthy weight, staying hydrated, and avoiding bladder irritants, like caffeine and alcohol, can help reduce the risk.

Q: When should someone see a doctor about urinary incontinence?
A: It’s important to see a doctor if urinary incontinence significantly affects daily life,
occurs suddenly, is accompanied by pain or discomfort, or if there’s blood in the urine.

Q: How do I become a patient at TriState Urogynecology?
A: TriState Urogynecology is a physician and self-referral clinic, which means that your primary care provider can send over a referral for you, or you can call our office to schedule your own appointment. You can also submit an online new patient form by visiting our website.

Q: What can I expect at my first urogynecology appointment?
A: Once you arrive for your appointment, a nurse will check you in and then you will speak with either myself, or Dezirae Berry, NP-C. More than likely, your provider will perform a pelvic exam, with another clinical staff member present, and then discuss treatment options available. Next steps could include a urodynamic study, bladder diary, or necessary follow up appointments.