Help for Bladder Control Problems
Q. I’m very frustrated with my bladder control issues. None of the treatments have worked and I need results so that I can get my normal life back.
Dr. Alok Desai: Your feelings are common with many people who have bladder control problems or incontinence. Making repeated visits to the restroom is both inconvenient and very frustrating.
The good news is there is help for those with an overactive bladder including leakage, the inability to fully empty your bladder, or urgency or frequency. At Sentara Potomac Hospital one of the most successful treatments we have is called Interstim® Therapy for Urinary Control, which is an FDA-approved minimally invasive treatment for bladder control.
Interstim Therapy is recommended when other treatment options for bladder control have not been successful. Overactive bladder can really impair a woman’s quality of life and I’ve seen many women (and men!) benefit from Interstim. The beauty of the procedure is that we can test it in the office to see if it works before any surgery is done. The patient knows what the results will be before they commit to having surgery.
If a patient has a successful test procedure, the Interstim procedure can be performed as an outpatient surgery, with a quick return to normal activity. In patients who have not had success with other therapies, Interstim has a reported success rate as high as 80 percent. At Sentara Potomac Hospital, we have successfully performed this procedure in patients ranging in age from their 20s to their 80s.
Dr. Alok Desai is a board-certified and fellowship-trained urologist on Sentara Potomac Hospital’s Medical Staff. Dr. Desai completed his fellowship training at the Center for Continence Care in Minnesota, which performs more Interstim procedures annually than any other center in the United States.
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