If you suffer from urinary incontinence, you know the constant stress that this issue causes. Discovering the cause of incontinence is not always easy, but in this case, urodynamics testing can be very helpful.
What is urodynamics testing?
Urodynamics testing is a healthcare procedure that evaluates how a person’s bladder functions and how efficient it is. Usually the patient is asked to come to the testing session with a full bladder. The patient then urinates into a receptacle while the urine volume and the rate at which the bladder empties is measured. The next step requires insertion of a flexible catheter into the urethra in order to measure the residual amount of urine. This is known as post-void residual, or PVR. In some situations the bladder is then filled with water until the patient has the desire to urinate. Once the patient has that desire, the healthcare provider will measure the amount of fluid in the bladder. Typically after this more water is added and the patient is instructed to avoid urinating until they involuntarily do so.
Where does urodynamics testing take place?
Most urodynamics testing occurs in a doctor’s office. More sophisticated testing may take place in a hospital or other medical facility. Advanced testing includes placing electrodes in the rectum to measure the muscles’ electrical activity as the bladder fills.
What do the results of urodynamics testing mean?
Testing results will either come back as normal or abnormal. Abnormal test results indicate that the provider has discovered one or more issues, such as a higher than normal amount of PVR, the bladder has too much or too little fluid when the patient begins to feel the urge to urinate, and/or the person has an abnormally low amount of fluid and their bladder is not able to keep it in.
What are the benefits of urodynamics testing?
Urodynamics testing allows healthcare practitioners to determine the cause of urinary incontinence more accurately so that they can correctly diagnose the problem, possibly leading to more effective treatment. It also helps providers determine if there is more than one cause of incontinence and can be a helpful step prior to surgery.
At Carthage Area Hospital, patients can find high-quality care that is focused on superior customer service. Urologist Dr. Felix T. Oben will be offering this testing to help patients with incontinence. Patients can rest assured that they will get the care they deserve when they visit Carthage Area Hospital’s main campus or one of its many other locations.