St. Helena Urology
COVID-19 update: We have stringent measures in place to keep our patients and staff safe, with highly trained infection prevention practitioners closely following the guidelines from the CDC and California Department of Public Health. A few of the safety precautions you can expect include symptom and temperature screening prior to entry, universal masking, enhanced facility cleansing, reconfigurations to allow social distancing and visitor restrictions. More information is available on our COVID-19 preparedness page.
Treatment for urinary tract and reproductive disorders
Urology is a specialty that deals with diseases of the male and female urinary tract and the male reproductive organs. Although urology is often classified as a surgical specialty, a knowledge of internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology and other specialties is required by the urologist. This is because of the wide variety of clinical problems encountered. In recognition of the wide scope of urology, there are several subspecialty areas as well:
- Urologic oncology (cancer)
- Renal transplantation
- Male infertility
- Calculi (urinary tract stones)
- Female urology (urinary incontinence and pelvic outlet relaxation disorders)
- Neurology (voiding disorders, urodynamic evaluation of patients and erectile dysfunction or impotence)
About urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is not being able to control the release of urine. Sometimes the problem is temporary, such as when it is caused by a urinary infection and goes away when the infection is treated. Other times it is caused by changes in nerves and muscles around the bladder and requires treatments such as medicines, exercise and, in some cases, surgery.
Incontinence is not a disease but a symptom of an issue in the urinary tract. It is usually common in middle age people but can affect a person of any age. Urinary incontinence is treatable and often curable.
Despite the fact that 13 million Americans suffer from urinary incontinence, many people are reluctant to discuss this condition with their doctor due to embarrassment. Fortunately, there are many effective treatment options that can help you gain control of your bladder and reclaim your quality of life.