If urinary leaks are interfering with your quality of life, it may be time to consider the benefits of urodynamic testing. Dr. Pakideh and Dr. Ahadi offer this innovative testing to help you find just the right treatment to alleviate the embarrassment of urine leaks.
Understanding urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a condition that involves a loss of bladder control. You may develop incontinence as a result of a pregnancy, childbirth, or following a hysterectomy. For some women, urinary incontinence goes along with the natural aging process, especially common during menopause.
Other health issues, like urinary tract infections or obstructions in the urinary tract can cause unexpected urine leaks.
There are three primary types of urinary incontinence, including:
- Urge incontinence
- Stress incontinence
- Mixed incontinence
With urge incontinence, you have frequent and overwhelming sensations that you have to urinate. These urges are uncontrollable and occur even if you’ve just emptied your bladder.
Stress incontinence issues involve experiencing urinary leaks when any pressure is put on your bladder. Quick motions, like sneezing, coughing, and laughing, can cause unexpected urine leakage.
If you have symptoms of both urge and stress incontinence, your diagnosis may be mixed incontinence.
How urodynamic testing works
When you’re not certain of the cause of your urine leaks, Dr. Pakideh and Dr. Ahadi may recommend urodynamic testing. The diagnostic test can determine how well your urinary tract is functioning.
Your urinary tract is made up of the urethra, sphincters, and bladder, which all work together to hold and release urine. The various tests involved in urodynamics takes a closer look at each part of this tract to identify the root cause of your unexpected urine leaks.
Urodynamic tests you can expect for diagnosing urinary incontinence include:
Urethral pressure profile: tests the strength of your urethra using a catheter device with attached sensors.
Uroflowmetry: measures your urine flow, how fast it’s released, and how long it takes for your body to release it.
Cystometry: a catheter measures how much urine your bladder can hold when pressure is put on your bladder
Voiding pressure study: measures how much pressure is in your bladder when you urinate
Electromyography: diagnostics that test the electrical impulses in your muscles and nerves within the pelvic floor.
What to expect with urodynamic testing
To start your urodynamic testing, you should have a full bladder to gauge the functionality of your urinary tract system. As you progress through testing, you’ll have the opportunity to empty your bladder, while the urine output is monitored.
Following your tests, you may feel some mild soreness or pain due to the insertion of the catheter needed for some of the tests. It’s also normal to experience some blood in your urine in the hours after testing.
For many people, over-the-counter pain relievers will keep you comfortable after urodynamic testing. You should also drink plenty of water for the rest of the day to alleviate any discomfort.
Dr. Pakideh and Dr. Ahadi can review the results of your test to determine the root cause of your urinary incontinence. The diagnostic information is important for creating a custom treatment plan to effectively treat your urinary leaks.
Find out more about urodynamic testing and if it’s right for you by calling the office or by using the online booking feature.
