Many patients have urinary incontinence and do not tell their doctor… unless they are asked!

Some have frequency, urgency or bladder pain and don’t recognize the problem…

In fact:

Urinary incontinence affects an estimated 38 percent of women ages 60 or older

10-60% of women report urinary incontinence

50% of women that have had children develop prolapse

Only 10-20% seek medical care

Billions of dollars spent annually on incontinence products (in North America)

MetroSouth Medical Center recommends that patients experiencing the following undergo an evaluation and urodynamic testing:

Frequency
Nocturia (needing to get up at night to urinate)
Dysuria (painful urination)
Incomplete emptying
Incontinence
Urgency
Recurrent infections
Dyspareunia (painful sexual intercourse)
Prolapse (uterus, bladder)

As these can be signs and symptoms of:

Overactive Bladder or Interstitial Cystitis (I.C.)
Stress Incontinence, Urge Incontinence or Mixed Incontinence
Intrinsic Sphincter Deficiency (low pressure incontinence)
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Chronic Pelvic Pain

Testing is recommended before starting drug therapy (Vesicare, Ditropan, Enablex, etc.).

The MetroSouth Medical Center Urogynecologic program works for these reasons:

Patients will experience the advantage of Dr. Thomas’ knowledge in the field of urogynecology and pelvic reconstruction surgery and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery.

The Mind/Body program was adapted from Harvard’s Mind/Body Program to assist in stress reduction, weight loss and symptom reduction, especially with I.C. and preparation for surgery.

Advanced medical evaluation and lab testing identifies the specific problems.  Patients are given options from holistic medicine to surgery, individualized according to their needs.

Studies show that a 10% weight loss helps with stress incontinence.

Dr. Joseph Thomas is a pioneer in the use of Smartmesh™ a pelvic floor restoration material that has shown to be effective in over 99% of patients through clinical study.

Joseph S. Thomas, MBA, MD, FACS, FACOG
Director:  South Chicago Urogynecology Services
10814 South Halsted
Chicago, Illinois

159^th and South Park Avenue
South Holland, Illinois

(773) 881-3400