Often, women struggle with feeling out of control because of incontinence, and it’s not just aging women that are suffering. About 10 percent of women between the ages of 20 to 39 suffer from urinary or anal incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse due to child birth or weight gain. But if you deal with symptoms of incontinence there is a range of treatment options you can try. Take the first step—mention your condition to your doctor.

In younger women, urinary incontinence most commonly is stress incontinence and often occurs in women after childbirth. With stress incontinence, various types of activities, like lifting, coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercise can cause urine to leak. Another frequent type of urine loss is urge incontinence, where the need to urinate is sudden and strong, causing leakage before you can get to a bathroom. Incontinence symptoms can increase with excess caffeine intake, so try to limit coffee to two cups or fewer a day, and drink artificially sweetened or carbonated beverages sparingly.

Treatments for the two types of incontinence can be completely different, so it’s important to correctly identify the type of incontinence a women has. However, “both can be treated with pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, Kegel exercises, behavioral changes such as dietary modifications or surgery,” explains Muriel Boreham, M.D., an obstetrician/gynecologist and urogynecologist on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano. For women who prefer to try a more natural treatment, pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, is one of the most well-known, noninvasive treatments for stress urinary incontinence. Kegel exercises complement most treatment plans by focusing on the muscles of the pelvic floor to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic region that control and support the bladder and urination.

Kegel exercises have proven to be an effective treatment for women suffering from bladder leakage, and clinical studies have shown that between 50 and 75 percent of women who solely performed Kegel exercises for their treatment, experienced considerable improvement in their symptoms. According to Dr. Boreham, the majority of the patients that she has seen utilize pelvic floor therapy have experienced more than a 50 percent improvement in their incontinence symptoms. “Thanks to advancements in medical technology women can maintain a healthy and active lifestyle well into their retirement years, and they don’t have to live with urinary incontinence,” says Dr. Boreham.

Not all women with incontinence need surgery. “Medication is also a common treatment for urge incontinence,” says Dr. Boreham. For urge incontinence, surgical treatments such as sacral nerve modulation are also an option, for women who don’t respond to behavioral interventions or medications.

“An InterStim® unit, similar to a bladder pacemaker, can be implanted if a simple office trial indicates the therapy will help,” says Dr. Boreham. The unit sends small electrical pulses to the sacral nerve, which can help alleviate the unstable bladder contractions, urinary urgency/frequency and incomplete bladder emptying.

For stress incontinence, some women find that meditation and yoga help relieve symptoms of incontinence. Certain yoga exercises, such as ones that focus on the stomach, help strengthen the lower abdominal and pelvic muscles, resulting in increased bladder control. In addition, collagen injections may be used to thicken the lining of the urethra, helping to control leakage, and surgical slings, the most common surgical treatment, have a high success rate. This minimally invasive procedure allows the surgeon to work through several small incisions and attach a small piece of mesh underneath the urethra so when a woman coughs or sneezes, the urethra can lie on the sling.

Anal incontinence can result from injuries that occur during childbirth. Dietary modification, pelvic floor exercises, medication and surgery can help treat the condition.

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when pelvic organs—the uterus, bladder, urethra or bowel—fall out of place and push against or into the vagina. It happens because the muscles and connective tissue that support these organs become weak. It can result from childbirth, even if you gave birth years ago.

Sometimes, prolapse needs nothing more than observation. “Some prolapse remains stable, some women worsen and some may even improve if delivery was recent,” Dr. Boreham says. Pessaries—devices inserted into the vagina to keep the organs in place—can relieve the symptoms, but they don’t cure the problem. But surgery, either through the abdomen or vagina, is sometimes necessary. We now have the ability to perform procedures with robotic assistance which has greatly improved recovery for patients. “One in nine women will have surgery for prolapse by age 80,” Dr. Boreham says.

While prolapse can’t be prevented, you can reduce your risk by quitting smoking, treating chronic constipation, maintaining a normal weight and avoiding heavy lifting.

Learn more about treatment options at our free seminar on pelvic organ prolapse at Baylor Plano on Thursday, May 6 from 12 to 1 p.m. in Conference Room A/B on the Garden Level. To register call 1.800.4BAYLOR or visit BaylorHealth.com/PlanoEvents.

Help improve your health by striking a healthy work-life balance. Start by deciding what’s most important to you, trimming your schedule, and guarding your personal time.

Prevent overeating by keeping a snack handy. Having a meal replacement, energy bar, piece of fruit, snack bar or even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on hand can keep you from grabbing a candy bar.

According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, people who drink more coffee or tea may be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Boost Your Brainpower The Silent Symptoms

NEWS YOU CAN USE!HealthQuicks

Pasta, Bread & Stomach AchesIf you’ve ever enjoyed a nice meal of pasta and bread, only to end up with a stomach ache a few hours later, you may have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, two conditions in which the body reacts

negatively to proteins in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten hides in all kinds of food products, from egg substitutes

and cold cuts to salad dressing and vinegar.

John Hyatt, M.D., gastroenterologist on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, provides insight on gluten intolerance or celiac disease.

“With gluten intolerance, the body doesn’t digest gluten well, so after you eat a food

containing gluten, you may experience abdominal pain, bloating, gas and diarrhea,”

he says. Symptoms resolve quickly without long-term problems.

But celiac disease is an inflammatory autoimmune condition in which gluten is actually toxic to the small intestine.

“Over time, people with celiac disease who don’t eliminate gluten from their diet will not only continue experiencing uncomfortable abdominal symptoms, they will damage the intestines’ ability to absorb nutrients. The resulting malabsorption syndrome can lead to weight loss, anemia, osteoporosis and even cancer,” Dr. Hyatt says.

For more information on digestive health services at Baylor Plano visit BaylorHealth.com/PlanoDigestive.

Research suggests that hitting the gym can work

wonders for your brain. Jeremy Denning, M.D., a neurosurgeon on the medical staff at Baylor Plano, answers questions about the connection

between your physical and mental fitness.

Q: Does physical activity affect the brain? A: When you

exercise, circulation in the body—and the brain—improves. Your brain receives more oxygen and glucose, both critical to mental function. Plus, exercise releases endorphins that lower stress levels and boost your mood.

Q: Does exercise have any effect on conditions like Alzheimer’s? A: It appears so, based on various studies. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2006 reported that older adults who exercise three or more times a week are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.

Q: Does it matter what kind of exercise I do?A: Research shows that walking a few times a week will help boost your brainpower, but some studies suggest that higher-intensity aerobic exercise yields even more dynamic results.

Spyglass® Direct Visualization SystemBaylor Plano is pleased to offer patients access to new technology for the diagnosis and treatment of various gastrointestinal disorders. Using a tiny fiberoptic camera, the Spyglass Direct Visualization System gives physicians the ability to literally look inside something as tiny as a bile duct—allowing better diagnoses of conditions like gallstones, suspected cancers, obstructions and cystic lesions. The system also has a miniature forceps, allowing it to take tissue samples for biopsy as its taking images.

For a referral to a gastroenterologist on the Baylor Plano medical staff, call 1.800.4BAYLOR or visit BaylorHealth.com/Plano.

What is causing my headaches? More than 40 million Americans experience chronic or repeated headaches, according to the National Headache Foundation. Knowing what type of headache you have can help you find a better treatment option. Ahmed Elsehety, M.D., a neurologist on the Baylor Plano medical staff provides insight on the major headache types:

• Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. Dull and achy, they’re often caused by stress and muscle contraction in the neck or scalp. Over-the-counter medication usually brings relief.

• Sinus headaches are characterized by an infection with green or yellow drainage and a low-grade fever along with pain at the front of the head. Antibiotics usually will clear the infection.

• Cluster headaches are rare and involve sudden, excruciating pain on one side of the head, feeling as if your eye is going to explode, and a watery eye and runny nose. They usually end in about an hour, which means no time for medication to kick in. Once they start, they occur one or more times daily, for weeks or months. Once the “cluster” runs its course, you’re usually headache-free for quite some time.

Common causes of headaches:

For a referral to a neurologist on the Baylor Plano medical staff, call 1-800-4BAYLOR or visit BaylorHealth.com/Plano.

The websites referenced herein are provided solely for the convenience of the reader. Neither Baylor Health Care System, Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, nor their subsidiaries, affiliates, or community medical centers own these websites or control their content or privacy, and the reference to these websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the entities that own the websites or of the information, products, or services offered by them. Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano or Baylor Health Care System. Photography may include models or actors and may not represent actual patients. ©2010 Baylor Health Care System. BRMCPL-466-2010, WHQ-13thED. MOD-10040. 26,444. 3/10

Breast Cancer Support ProgramMondays, April 5 & 19; May 3 & 17. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Education Rm. 1 & 2, Garden Level. Join us as we discuss various topics including nutrition, exercise, and recovery techniques such as journaling, art, and relaxation techniques. Light dinner provided.

Support for People with Oral Head & Neck Cancer Tuesday, April 6. 6 to 8 p.m. Education Rm. 2, Garden Level. Tuesday, May 4. 6 to 8 p.m. Plano Conf. Rm. A/B, Garden Level. To register call 214.820.2608.

Weight Loss Surgery Informational SeminarTuesdays, April 6 & 20; May 4 & 18.6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Education Rms. 1–4,Garden Level. Presented by Nick Nicholson, M.D., bariatric surgeon on the Baylor Plano medical staff, will discuss three surgical options: gastric banding, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy.

Are Your Joints Healthy?Tuesday, April 6. 12 to 1 p.m. Education Rms. 1 & 2, Garden Level. Geoffrey Glidden, M.D., orthopaedic surgeon on the Baylor Plano medical staff, will discuss joint problems associated with age and injury, and preventing and treating joint problems.

Diabetes Support GroupThursdays, April 8 & May 13. 5: 30 to 7 p.m. Plano Conf. Rm. A/B, Garden Level.

Saturday Mammography ServicesSaturdays, April 10 & 24; May 8 & 22.Women’s Imaging Center. Medical Pavilion II, Suite 100. Saturdays, April 17; May 1 & 15. Baylor Diagnostic Imaging Center at Craig Ranch. 8080 St. Highway 121, Ste. 100, McKinneyAppointments begin at 8 a.m.

Weight Loss Surgery Support GroupWednesdays, April 14 & May 12. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Education Rms. 1 & 2, Garden Level. To register, call 469-814-5677.

Acid Reflux Could Mean MoreThursday, April 15. 12 to 1 p.m. Education Rm. 1, Garden Level. Shibu Oommen, M.D., gastroenterologist on the Baylor Plano medical staff, will discuss treatment options for Barrett’s Esophagus.

Look Good Feel BetterTuesday, April 20. 6 to 8 p.m. Plano Conf.

Rm. A/B, Garden Level. Light dinner provided.

Your Health This Month®

Wednesday, April 21. 7:30 to 10 a.m. Plano Conf. Rm. A/B, Garden Level. Free BMI/body fat assessments and nutrition education, breast cancer risk assessments and education, prostate cancer education, sleep disorder assessments and education, and diabetes education will be provided. Cholesterol and glucose screening will be available for $15.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patient EducationWednesdays, April 21, 28 & May 5. 6 to 8 p.m. Education Rm. 1. Learn tools for coping with the challenges of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Us Too! Prostate Cancer Support Group. Tuesdays, April 27 & May 25. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Plano Conf. Rm. A/B, Garden Level. Dinner provided.

Pelvic Organ ProlapseThursday, May 6. 12 to 1 p.m. Plano Conf. Rm. A/B, Garden Level. Muriel Boreham, M.D., urogynecologist on the Baylor Plano medical staff, will discuss the risk factors, prevention tactics, symptoms, and treatment options, including both invasive and non-invasive methods for women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse.

Living Well With CancerMonday, May 10. 6 to 7:30 p.m. Education Rm. 1

Get RestedTuesday, May 11. 12 to 1 p.m. Education Rms. 1 & 2, Garden Level. Tracie Hardin, sleep coordinator of the Baylor Plano Sleep Center, will give an overview on the sleep cycle, sleep apnea, various sleep problems and will discuss how a sleep study may benefit you if you think you have a sleep problem.

Your Health This Month®

Thursday, May 13. 7:30 to 10 a.m. Plano Conf. Rm. A/B, Garden Level. Free screenings for blood pressure, scoliosis and sleep disorders. Education on scoliosis, sleep disorders, skin cancer and osteoporosis will be available. Bone marrow donor opportunities will be available. Cholesterol/glucose screening will be available for $15.

Diabetes Self Management ProgramClasses are offered at various times. To register call 469-814-6896.

Calendar of Events April & May 2010All programs held at Baylor Plano unless otherwise noted. To register for a program, please call 1.800.4BAYLOR (422.9567) or visit BaylorHealth.com/PlanoEvents.

Baylor Plano Has The Answers

NON PROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT #88

LAKE DALLAS TX4700 Alliance Blvd.Plano, Texas 75093

• Alcohol consumption• Allergies• Caffeine withdrawal• Daily use of

acetaminophen (Tylenol)• Eyestrain• Fever

• Head trauma• Hunger• Overexertion• Temporomandibular

joint (TMJ)• Tension