Page 18 - Senior Scene Magazine December 2017

Senior Scene® | December Issue
NOT a Normal Consequence of Aging
(The Impact of Pelvic Floor Disorders on Quality of Life)
By: Stephanie Wright, Zipper Urogynecology Associates
I’ve heard it a thousand times... and it never ceases to amaze me: “Having problems with your bladder and bowel are just part of getting older.” Worse yet: “It is just some- thing that you are going to have to learn to live with.” Although it is true that problems related to bladder and bowel function are more common as we mature, nothing could be further from the truth. These problems are NOT a “normal” part of aging, and there ARE safe and effective treatments to minimize the impact on quality of life.
The pelvic oor is a term used to collectively describe the group of muscles that make up the “bowl” of the pelvis. Disorders of the Female pelvic oor are related
to these muscles and the organs that occupy the pelvis, speci cally, the bladder, bowel and vagina. The most common pelvic oor problems include: Accidental leaking of urine (urinary incontinence), emptying too often (urinary frequency), getting up frequently at night (nocturia), the sudden need to run to the bathroom (urgency), acciden- tal loss of atus or bowel movements (anal incontinence), infrequent bowel movements or dif culty in evacuation (constipation/defecation dysfunction), dif culty or discom- fort with sexual activity (dyspareunia), and the feeling of, or noticing something coming out of the vagina (pelvic organ prolapse).
Of particular importance is the profound impact these problems can have on quality of life. Many women de- velop elaborate coping behaviors to “hide” the fact that they are having problems: wearing pads, carrying a spare
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change of clothing, avoiding participation in activities they love (exercising, traveling, being out with friends, etc.) and sadly in the most extreme circumstances, they are too afraid to leave the house. Studies show that the impact upon quality of life related to pelvic oor disorders is sec- ond only to major depression among chronic illnesses. This is the bad news.
The good news is that major advances have been made in the recognition and treatment of these problems . Intense research is ongoing and the future looks bright. With the proper diagnosis, the majority of treatments are non-or minimally invasive and extremely effective; such as lifestyle and behavioral changes, physical therapy, medications and when needed, minimally invasive procedures can offer re- markable results.
One of the nations’ most comprehensive treatment centers is here in central Florida. Each year women from around the country travel to the Vero Beach and Mel- bourne of ces of Zipper Urogynecology. Dr. Zipper and Dr. Raders have developed some of the most recent and ground breaking technologies used in the treatment of pelvic oor problems. They hold numerous patents on their methods and devices and have trained thousands of surgeons. I originally went to Zipper Urogynecology for a second opinion. I was told I needed a big surgery. I was surprised to nd out that my problem could be easily treat- ed with a 5 minute of ce procedure.
Pelvic Floor Disorders are common and very treatable. You may be surprised to nd out just how simple treatment can be.
For additional information please call Zipper Urogyne- cology Associates at 321-674-2114 SS
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18 | www.seniorscenemag.com | December 2017
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