Our office provides comprehensive urological services to the community. Patients are referred by their physicians for Urodynamics studies and/or bladder training and biofeedback.
Urodynamics refers to a series of diagnostic tests that evaluate the function of the bladder and urethra. These tests may be recommended if you have urinary incontinence (leakage of urine), recurrent bladder infections, slow or weak urinary stream, incomplete bladder emptying, or frequent urination. These tests provide important information in order for your physician to accurately diagnose and treat your bladder problems appropriately.
At the beginning of the test you will be asked to urinate so please arrive for the study with a relatively full bladder. You may eat or drink anything prior to the study. Take your medications as normally scheduled, unless otherwise directed by your doctor. The tests typically take about one hour and are generally painless. So no anesthesia is necessary. Your friends and family are welcome to accompany you but will be asked to remain in the waiting area. You will be able to resume all previous activities, including driving, at the completion of the Urodynamics studies. A catheter (soft, hollow tube) or special sensor will be carefully placed in your urethra and sometimes your rectum to perform the study. Your physician will decide which of the following tests need to be performed to help diagnose and treat your condition.
This test measures the speed and amount of urine you void. You should come to the test feeling as though you need to urinate. Try not to empty your bladder one hour before your test. You will be asked to urinate into a commode with a funnel attached to a computer that measures your urine flow.
This study evaluates how your bladder holds urine, measures your bladder capacity, and also determines how well you can control your bladder. Through a catheter your bladder is filled with fluid. In order to reproduce your bladder symptoms, you should report any sensations you feel during the study. In addition, you may be asked to cough, bear down, stand, or walk in place during the test. At the end of the study, you will be asked to urinate.
This test determines if there is an obstruction. After your bladder is filled through a catheter, you will be asked to urinate as you normally would. This test may be done sitting on a commode or standing. The study simultaneously records the bladder pressure and urine flow rate.
This non-surgical therapy is used to treat incontinence. A Physical Therapist will educate, evaluate, and instruct you on proper isolation and exercise of your pelvic floor muscles for bladder control. Using biofeedback technology, a computer recorder monitors your progress and strength of pelvic muscles. Typically this therapy consists of weekly sessions for six weeks. The first session will last about one hour while the remaining sessions will last less than an hour.