Grace Clinic - Continence Center

Call 74-Grace

(806) 744-7223

Monday-Friday: 8am to 8pm Saturdays: 9am to 5pm Sundays: Noon to 5pm

4515 Marsh Sharp Freeway

Incontinence---the loss of bladder or bowel control--is much more common than you may realize. That's because many people who experience this problem avoid talking about it---even to their doctor. Nearly two-thirds of people with continence problems wait for two years or more before seeking treatment.

At The Continence Center, we are sensitive to the extreme distress this problem can cause. Our doctors are familiar with the many forms of incontinence and the range of treatments avilable. Our staff is trained to discover the underlying medical cause of your incontinence and then recommend options for managing the condition.

Our Services

We offer the following diagnostic and treatment procedures:

Evaluation:

History - A first step in diagnosis is to gather historical information that may relate to incontinence

Pelvic Exam - The examination we use to assess tissue health is also used to look for possible causes of incontinence such as tumors or growths that involve the urinary tract, stool impaction, poor reflexes, or a sagging bladder

Urinalysis - Laboratory analysis of urine is used to check for the presence of infection, sugar, or blood

Stress Test - This simple procedure employing the combination of relaxation and coughing, allows the doctor to determine if urine is released under physical stress

Ultrasound or X-Ray - Imaging techniques are used as indicated, to examine the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra for abnormalities

Urodynamics - Provides complete diagnostic testing for urinary problems including:
- Flow Cystometry
- Bladder Pressure Leak
- Point Pressure
- Pressure Flow Study
- Electromyography

Treatment:

Electrical Stimulation - Brief doses of electrical stimulation are used to strengthen muscles in the lower pelvic area in a way similar to exercising these muscles.

Biofeedback - This technique uses analysis tools that help an individual gain awareness of body function and take control of the pelvic muscles.

Timed Voiding - This method of timing urination uses biofeedback, diaries, and charts to identify a person's voiding patterns and when leaking occurs. Based on the information collected during this study, a bladder re-training program is developed.

Medications - Drugs can sometimes be used to control leakage by inhibiting urgent contractions of the bladder, relaxing the bladder to allow it to store more urine, or tightening the muscles at the bladder neck and urethra to prevent leakage. In women, hormone medication, especially estrogen, may help with bladder function.

Pessaries - For female urinary incontinence, firm rings can be place in the vagina against the vaginal wall to put pressure on the urethra and help control stress leakage.

Implants - A substance such as collagen or fat from a person's own body can be injected into tissues around the urethra to help control leakage.

Surgery - Surgical procedures are sometimes used to address stress incontinence that results from the bladder dropping onto the vagina. These procedures include sling surgery, artificial-sphincter surgery, or catheterization. Many of these techniques have high success rates. Surgery is generally performed only after other options have been carefully assessed.