Why Are My Periods So Heavy?
If you’re struggling with heavy menstrual bleeding, don’t hesitate to seek evaluation and treatment options. There’s no need to remain shackled by excessively heavy periods that interfere with your life.
I Struggle with Urinary Leakage: What Can Help?
Urinary incontinence is a common issue impacting millions of women. You’re more likely to experience urinary leakage after childbirth and as you get older. It can range from a minor nuisance when coughing or sneezing to a bigger issue that affects daily activities and quality of life.
The women’s health specialists at Ideal Gynecology provide a full range of women’s health services to patients in the Atlanta metropolitan area, including diagnosing and treating urinary incontinence. Fortunately, several effective treatments and strategies can help restore bladder control.
Types of urinary incontinence
The two most common types of incontinence are stress incontinence and urge incontinence. Stress incontinence occurs when there’s physical pressure or stress on the bladder, such as when you sneeze, cough, laugh, or exercise. The pressure causes involuntary bladder leakage.
Urge incontinence, also known as overactive bladder, involves a sudden, strong need to urinate that feels difficult to control. Identifying which type you have plays a role in choosing the right treatment approach.
Managing urinary incontinence
The strength of pelvic floor muscles is a key factor contributing to urinary incontinence. These muscles support the bladder and urethra. A weak pelvic floor can lead to inadequate support, making it difficult to control urination.
This is particularly true in cases of stress urinary incontinence, where sudden pressure on the bladder causes leaks. Strengthening these muscles can significantly improve symptoms. The following are common approaches to managing urinary incontinence:
Weight management
Excess weight can increase pressure on the bladder and surrounding muscles, which can make urinary leaks more likely. Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the frequency and severity of incontinence episodes.
Kegel exercises
Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles through Kegel exercises can significantly reduce symptoms of stress urinary incontinence. These exercises help support the bladder and urethra, improving urine retention.
Bladder training
Bladder training involves extending the time between voiding to teach the bladder to hold more urine. This technique is especially useful when you have urge incontinence.
Dietary changes
Adjusting your intake of liquids and certain foods can help control urinary incontinence. Reducing or eliminating bladder irritants like caffeine, citrus, and alcohol may decrease urge symptoms.
Medication
Several medications are available to treat urinary incontinence. Certain medications calm muscle spasms to relieve overactive bladder issues. Other types of medications have the opposite effect, allowing your bladder to empty entirely by relaxing your muscles. For women transitioning through perimenopause and menopause, hormone replacement therapy may improve bladder leakage.
Revive bladder support is a reusable bladder support device designed to help manage bladder leaks caused by stress incontinence. It’s made from soft, flexible material that provides comfort and support. You insert it like a tampon, and once in place, it applies gentle pressure to the urethra and surrounding muscles. This prevents urine leakage during activities like exercise, coughing, and sneezing.
Revive bladder support
The device is FDA-cleared for over-the-counter use and can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time, providing all-day protection and confidence. Here are some key benefits of Revive:
- Reusable
- Environmentally friendly
- Discreet
- Comfortable design
- Easy to insert and remove
- One size fits most, no sizing required
Revive is not suitable for urge incontinence or for use during pregnancy, recent childbirth, or certain medical conditions. Our team can perform in-office testing to determine if Revive is right for you. Save 10% with code ‘Idealgyn10’ when you purchase Revive through the manufacturer website or Amazon.
Seeking treatment for urinary incontinence
Many women hesitate to seek help for urinary incontinence due to embarrassment or the belief that it's a normal part of aging. The team at Ideal Gynecology can guide you through the treatment options.
If you're struggling with urinary leakage, help is available. Give us a call to request an appointment. We’re dedicated to helping you find the right treatment strategy to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
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