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 There are certain health problems associated
with old age of which urinary incontinence (UI) is one. But
after attending a programme on patient awareness on pelvic floor
problems, several misconceptions of the audience were dispelled
by Dr Karthik Gunasekaran, Urogynaecologist and Reconstructive
Pelvic Surgeon.
He addressed the gathering along with
patients at a recent get-together at GRT Grand Days.
 Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the most
common type of UI in women and is more common in the younger age
group (55years) with a peak in the fourth decade. Talking about
treatment options, the doctor said conservative treatment
options include lifestyle interventions and pelvic floor muscle
training.
Until recently there was no globally developed and widely
approved pharmacological treatment for SUI. The Few available
drugs had considerable side effects and had to be removed. The
last option may be surgery if the problem is severe and if
conservative treatments fail, said he.
The highlight of the programme was the patients who have
undergone treatment for UI sharing their experiences. They said
their quality of life had improved post treatment.
Among them was an 80-year-old woman and one in her forties.
Chennai women are coming out of their conservative attitude and
their inhibitions and are prepared to share their health
problems which hitherto were not only kept under wraps making
them suffer silently, I thought.
N Meera Raghavendra Rao |
