What is Urodynamics?

Urodynamic Study is a series of tests that provides us with a detailed look at the function of your bladder and urethra. These tests involve measuring the pressure in the bladder while it is being filled with sterile water. Once we know how much water your bladder can hold, we then check to see whether your bladder empties itself efficiently and completely.

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is any unintentional leakage of urine. It can be caused by several underlying medical conditions including: infections, strokes, pressure from pregnancy, obesity and neurological problems. It is more common in women than in men. It affects 10-25% of women under 65 years of age and 5-30% if women older than 60 who do not live in nursing homes. Incontinence is even more common in nursing home residents, more than half of this population may be affected.

Some women have the false belief that urinary incontinence is a normal part of aging and that nothing can be done to correct this problem. Less than half of women affected seek medical care. They may feel ashamed and even try to avoid certain social or work events; often wearing dark clothing to avoid embarrassing and visible urine stains.

Types Of Incontinence

There are three types of incontinence:

A woman with urinary incontinence also may have other symptoms:

Urination

When you urinate, the muscles of the bladder tighten and squeeze the urine out through the urethra, a tube that leads from the bladder to the outside of your body. At the same time, sphincter muscles surrounding the urethra loosen, after receiving signals from your brain, allowing urine to pas out. These muscles also can tighten and squeeze the urethra shut to prevent urine from passing. If the muscles become weak or damaged, they might not be able to hold urine during stress activities such as sneezing, coughing, laughing or dancing. The resulting leakage depends on how much urine is in the bladder at the time of the stress event.

Preparing For The Study

You should wear loose, comfortable clothing. All medications that you are taking for bladder control (including herbals) should be stopped seven (7) days prior to your testing date. You should try and keep a diary of voiding habits (how often you go to the bathroom, how often you leak, how much fluids you are drinking, etc.) for the week prior to testing.

Test That May Be Performed