There are certain health problems associated with old age of which urinary incontinence (UI) is one. But after attending a programme on patient awareness on pelvic floor problems, several misconceptions of the audience were dispelled by Dr Karthik Gunasekaran, Urogynaecologist and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgeon. He addressed the gathering along with patients at a recent get-together at GRT Grand Days.

	Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the most common type of UI in women and is more common in the younger age group (55years) with a peak in the fourth decade. Talking about treatment options, the doctor said conservative treatment options include lifestyle interventions and pelvic floor muscle training. Until recently there was no globally developed and widely approved pharmacological treatment for SUI. The Few available drugs had considerable side effects and had to be removed. The last option may be surgery if the problem is severe and if conservative treatments fail, said he. The highlight of the programme was the patients who have undergone treatment for UI sharing their experiences. They said their quality of life had improved post treatment. Among them was an 80-year-old woman and one in her forties.
Chennai women are coming out of their conservative attitude and their inhibitions and are prepared to share their health problems which hitherto were not only kept under wraps making them suffer silently, I thought.
	N Meera Raghavendra Rao Published on Oct 11th, 2007