Women’s complex care: When you want to feel in control again

Many treatments are available to help women regaining control if they accidentally leak urine or stool. Some patients are treated with an outpatient surgical procedure; others can benefit from non-surgical methods, including exercises, dietary changes and weight loss.

Sometimes called fecal or urinary retention, these conditions affect women who cannot fully empty their bladder when they “pee” or feel persistently constipated when they “poop."

Prolapse, which is very common in women between 50 and 80, refers to the drooping or sagging of the bladder, uterus, vagina, small bowel and rectum; many forms of treatment are available to ensure that the pelvic floor muscles properly hold everything in place.

Pelvic pain may be constant, intermittent, or occur during events such as intercourse, urination or a bowel movement; our team is ready to help you get treatment.

A possible cause of pelvic pain, cramping, fatigue or heavy bleeding between cycles, fibroids are non-cancerous muscular tumors that grow from the wall of the uterus.

Another possible source of pain and fatigue, this condition occurs when the inning lining of the uterus (endometrium) begins growing outside of the uterus.

A fistula is an abnormal tunnel-like hole between two organs such as the vagina and bladder. We offer minimally invasive treatment options to correct the problem.

Our team of expert gynecologic oncologists, affiliated with the UW Carbone Cancer Center, treat women with reproductive cancers such as cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal and vulvar.

• Botox injections, which relax the muscles, giving patients more time to reach the bathroom

• Nerve stimulation, which helps the brain communicate with the bladder or bowel to reduce incontinence

• Medications. Many options are available to improve bowel or bladder function, or reduce symptoms or discomfort

• Pessary fitting. A pessary is a small, non-invasive removable plastic or rubber ring that controls leakage

• Pelvic floor physical therapy and biofeedback, which helps strengthen weak muscles and damaged nerves that cause incontinence

• Surgery. Options include vaginal surgery as well as laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery

• Urethral sling surgery, which lifts the urethra back into normal position

• Non-surgical treatment options include pessaries (see above), Kegel exercises and biofeedback, all of which can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.

• Surgical options may be done through the vagina or the abdomen to restore a drooping organ back to its original position.

Pelvic pain is a common issue for women, and many treatment options are available based on the findings of a physical exam and tests.

Home to the largest gynecologic oncology program in Wisconsin, UW Health offers women a comprehensive team of specialists in fields such as medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgery and genetic counseling. Many clinical trials are also available for our patients.