My husband is very thoughtful. He is the better cook and despite his propensity to create meals with chili powder and Sriracha, he has taken to making me deliciously bland foods as third trimester heartburn rages. He tracks each week of pregnancy with his fruit/vegetable comparison calendar and tries to incorporate that item into a… Read more
Yes, most of us know we should lose weight. Our doctors tell us. Women’s magazines tell us. Our mirrors tell us. We know losing weight will reduce our risk of medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. We will have more energy. We will fit more comfortably in our clothing. The problem is getting… Read more
I am admittedly a terrible patient. Often those who work in the medical field are chastised for taking poor care of themselves despite spending hours daily caring for others. Now I’m in a new position, with a new patient perspective — when office visits and acting as a “good patient” are no longer about me…. Read more
by Mary A. Burns, M.D., FACOG, FPMRS In medicine, there are quite a few conditions women encounter that they may find too embarrassing to bring up to their doctor. Low libido, bladder leakages, fear of STDs are just a few to name. However, for the 14 million women who encounter accidental bowel leakage, I think… Read more
Please join us in congratulating our physicians and staff on becoming the first practice in the state of Virginia to achieve SCOPE certification. SCOPE (Safety Certification in Outpatient Practice Excellence) is a voluntary comprehensive patient safety review program available to medical practices in which obstetrics and/or gynecology services are provided. SCOPE assesses the implementation and… Read more
Those that have, you know what I mean. For those that haven’t, please let me explain. You are comfortable and you have no sensation to urinate, but as soon as you arrive home and place the key in the front door or turn the doorknob you develop an overwhelming sudden urge to urinate. Often you will even start to… Read more
Sacral Neuromodulation What is Interstim How to prepare 2. Pecutaneous Tibal Nerve Stimulation
Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation Procedure overview Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) is a minimally invasive treatment for overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. While many options are available for the treatment of OAB, including behavioral modification, Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation (PFMR) and medication, not all patients have success with these. PTNS works by gentle electrical stimulation of… Read more
Botox® Bladder Injection Procedure overview Botox® was approved by the FDA in the 1980s to treat certain disorders of the eye muscles and is now widely used in cosmetic surgery to treat wrinkles. It has been used in urology since the late 1990’s to treat certain disorders of the bladder and urethra. It acts by… Read more
What is InterStim Therapy? InterStim therapy is a treatment that may relieve urinary and bowel control symptoms. InterStim therapy involves surgically implanting a small neurostimulator device and a lead, which delivers gentle stimulation to the sacral nerve, much like a pacemaker does for your heart. The stimulation may reduce your symptoms to a tolerable level,… Read more
Basic Evaluation: InterStim Therapy Test Stimulation Procedure InterStim Therapy is unique in that test stimulation can be performed to assess the effectiveness of the therapy prior to placing the more permanent neurostimulator implant. This test is designed to determine whether your urinary symptoms can be improved through stimulation of the sacral nerves which help to… Read more
Urinary incontinence may be treated with medicines. But in many cases, treatment with behavioral methods (bladder training, timed urination) and Kegel exercises are tried before medicines. These treatments, when combined with medicine, may help some women more than either treatment alone. Medication Choices Anticholinergics for Urinary Incontinence in Women Generic Name Brand Name… Read more
Urinary Incontinence in Women If you have urinary incontinence, you can take some steps on your own that may stop or reduce the problem. Manage your fluid intake. In 2004, the Institutes of Medicine reported that most people meet their daily hydration needs by letting their thirst guide them. Little scientific evidence exists that supports… Read more
How is it treated? The first step in treatment will be to try some of the following things at home: Behavioral Treatment & Kegels Medications If you have severe overactive bladder or severe urge incontinence that hasn’t been controlled by exercises or medicine, you may be able to try other treatments. These include Botox injections or… Read more
How is overactive bladder diagnosed? Dr. burns will do a physical exam. She will ask what kinds of fluids you drink and how much. She will also want to know how often you urinate, how much, and if you leak. It may help to write down these things in a BLADDER DIARY for a few days… Read more
What causes overactive bladder? Overactive bladder is caused by an overactive muscle in the bladder that pushes urine out. There are many things that can make this muscle overactive. It can be caused by a bladder infection, stress, or another medical problem. Some brain problems, such as Parkinson’s disease or a stroke can also lead… Read more
Overactive Bladder What is overactive bladder? With overactive bladder, you have many strong, sudden urges to urinate during the day and night. You can get these urges even when you have only a little bit of urine in your bladder. You may not be able to hold your urine until you get to the bathroom…. Read more
Cystoscopy of the Bladder Cystoscopy is a test that looks at the inner lining of the bladder and the tube from the bladder to the outside of the body (urethra). The cystoscope is a thin, lighted viewing tool that is put into the urethra and moved into the bladder. When the cystoscope is inside your… Read more
Urethral Sling for Stress Incontinence in Women Surgery Overview Urethral sling surgeries to treat urinary incontinence involve placing a sling around the urethra to lift it back into a normal position and to exert pressure on the urethra to aid urine retention. The sling is attached to the abdominal wall. The sling material may be… Read more
Vaginal Sling Procedure for Stress Urinary Incontinence The purpose of the vaginal sling procedure is to create a hammock of support and to help prevent the urethra from opening when you cough, sneeze, or laugh. The procedure involves placing a piece of material under the urethra. The material options available to us include synthetic mesh,… Read more