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Botox Approved for the Treatment of Overactive Bladder
 | | Lonny Green, M.D. |
Botox - yes, the same Botox used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles - was approved by the FDA in January 2013 as a treatment option for individuals who suffer from overactive bladder.
An estimated 17 to 53 million Americans are affected by overactive bladder. Frequent urination - the main symptom associated with overactive bladder - is defined as having to use the restroom more than eight times in 24 hours. Other symptoms may include waking up more than two times per night to urinate; urgency, or a sudden and strong desire to urinate; and urge incontinence, or accidentally wetting yourself due to not getting to a bathroom in time.
There are a variety of treatment options for patients who suffer from overactive bladder including exercises, diet and lifestyle modifications, medications, in-office procedures and the newest option: Botox injections.
Botox works by reducing bladder contractions and possibly decreasing the nerve signals that travel from the bladder to the brain, telling the brain that the bladder is full. The result is that the number of leakage episodes decreases and bladder capacity increases; thus increasing the amount of time between going to the bathroom.
Dr. Lonny Green, urologist and director of Virginia Women's Continence Center, was involved in the clinical trials that led to the FDA approval of Botox. Now, Dr. Green performs the injections in a couple of minutes at our John Rolfe Commons location. While some patients feel a slight pinch - the procedure is not considered to be painful.
To continue reading this article, visit our Living Well blog.
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Henrico County Water Project to Affect our Henrico Doctors' Location
Beginning Monday, March 11, the County of Henrico will perform an extensive water project that will close the Discovery Drive entrance to our Henrico Doctors' Forest Medical Plaza location. The project is expected to last for two to three weeks.
If you have an appointment during this time, you will need to use the Women's Pavilion entrance off of Forest Avenue. Coming from Glenside Drive, the Women's Pavilion entrance is the first left into the hospital campus after crossing Skipwith Road. Upon entering the campus, turn right towards the "Red Parking Deck," then make a left to drive around the deck. Our building is located across the open parking lot, which you can see as you approach the end of the parking deck. There is an open-air parking lot immediately outside of our building. If you have any questions or need additional directions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 804.288.4084.
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Wellness and Well-being: Women's Body Image and Self-Esteem
 | | Mary Polce-Lynch, Ph.D. |
Look closely at the next magazine photo of a model. Does she have any pores or wrinkles on her face? Does her figure have any natural curves or sags? Probably not; it is likely that her real body image has been airbrushed into a perfect illusion. Beauty is one of life's pleasures, but far too many women (as well as men) see these illusions and expect real women to look this way...all the time!
In her book,The Body Project, Joan Brumberg, Ph.D. concludes that the concerns women have about their appearances began with the invention of the mirror. If the mirror started things off, then television, movies, magazines and plastic surgery have helped turn normal self-conscious concerns into the body image obsession that is prevalent in our current culture. Indeed, there is growing evidence that mass media influences our self-esteem and our self-esteem influences how much we let media affect our body image. It is common among women for the lines to be blurred between what is 'normal' and what is illusion.
Self-image is the picture we have of ourselves; self-esteem is the 'grade' we give that picture. It is important to remember that body image is only one part of us. When we consider our many attributes (work ethic, character, compassion, etc.), we are much more likely to handle our natural body imperfections and setbacks realistically. When we focus solely on our body image, it becomes easy to believe the illusions that have been created by the media. In fact, before the Pacific island of Fiji got cable TV in 1995, most Fijians preferred a fuller figure and eating disorders were almost non-existent!
To continue reading this article, visit our Web site.
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i Brumberg, J.J. (1998).The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls. NY: Vintage
ii nytimes.com/1999/05/20/world/study-finds-tv-alters-fiji-girls-view-of-body.html
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Our Mechanicsville Office is Relocating
Our Mechanicsville office is relocating in April 2013. Our new office will be located in the Bell Creek area of Mechanicsville and the address will be 7515 Right Flank Road. The date of our move as well as directions will be posted on VirginiaWomensCenter.com once they are available.
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In-Office Treatment Option for Heavy Bleeding
Just as the length of one's menstrual cycle can vary from one woman to the next, the amount of menstrual flow can differ as well. Some women may experience very light periods whereas others may have heavier periods. While it's not uncommon for menstrual flow to fluctuate from one period to the next, women who experience unusually heavy bleeding most months may have menorrhagia. Menorrhagia is the medical term used to define menstrual periods in which bleeding is abnormally heavy or prolonged. Heavy bleeding is defined as a woman soaking through a pad or tampon every hour during the heaviest days in her cycle.
 There are many causes for heavy bleeding as well as a variety of treatment options. In order for your health care provider to make a diagnosis and treatment plan, it is helpful for you to inform your health care provider about your symptoms, including the frequency and length of your periods as well as the number of pads or tampons that you soak through each day. It's also important to note if there are any recent changes or stressors in your life as well as any new medications you are taking or conditions for which you are being treated. Oftentimes, medications or an intrauterine device (IUD) may be used to help reduce heavy bleeding. However, for some women who have not had success with these options, an endometrial ablation might be recommended. An endometrial ablation destroys the endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus, and often can reduce or stop menstrual bleeding. There are different ways that endometrial ablations can be performed. The NovaSureŽ Endometrial Ablation is a procedure that can be performed in our Virginia Women's Center offices in just a few short minutes. There are no incisions and the recovery time is typically a day.
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