Our physicians and advanced practice providers know a wide variety of tips and tricks women can use at home to empty the bladder and use supplies to avoid urinary retention. Our nurses and medical assistants in the clinic are experienced in teaching patients to use catheters “in and out” at home or manage their catheters being worn. Our physical therapists also serve as experts in these tricks when women want to have a more in-depth conversation about how to aid bladder emptying and keep the body safe.
Our physical therapy team consists of 6 dedicated physical therapists who specialize in not only pelvic muscle training for better bladder emptying, but balance of the pelvic muscles to relieve stress, strain, and pain from other bladder and muscle problems. Learn more about physical therapy at: https://www.voicesforpfd.org/about/physical-therapy/
Some of our patients have had past mesh surgery or slings that are too tight or are preventing emptying of the bladder. If this is the case, our team uses office tests and other means to determine that this is the problem and are experts in surgery to release, change, or remove the mesh from the body to address this problem. If a patient has had mesh or sling surgery and you want to learn more about mesh and if this could be part of your bladder emptying problem, read more at: https://www.voicesforpfd.org/mesh/mesh/
Some patients have either scarring from an injury to their urethra or other problems that require urethral surgery or widening of the urethra. This can be done by dilating the urethra while the patient is asleep or other procedures to widen the opening. Our team is experienced in these surgeries and also works closely with a reconstructive urology team with experts in this area.
We are not offering any research studies about incomplete bladder emptying right now, but stay tuned. We have many patients with neurological or other disorders who struggle with this issue, and we want to be involved in that care in the future.