The Leader • Saturday, November 9, 2019 • Page 1B
Pelvic floor treatment helps menopausal, postpartum women
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Houston Methodist Hospital For The Leader
Chiropractic Care
Pelvic floor disorders, commonly viewed as a normal part of aging, include urinary incontinence, accidental bowel leakage and pelvic organ prolapse. But these symptoms should not be taken lightly. Women often feel as if they are the only ones suffering from pelvic floor disorders. As a result, women often ignore their symptoms until they reduce quality of life. Keeping silent is rarely a medical risk but can severely impact women’s well-being. Here are some common questions from women who have experienced pelvic floor issues — along with some helpful answers. Q. I suffer from urinary leakage when I sneeze, laugh, cough or exercise. Is this normal? A. It may feel as if you’re alone, but you’re not — 1 in 3 women will experience a pelvic floor disorder, including urinary incontinence in her lifetime. Generally, women suffer silently because these problems are not openly discussed in society. On average, women wait about five years from symptom onset to seek help and be evaluated. Q. Is incontinence just a part of getting older and something I have to accept? A. Incontinence can affect women of all ages, but it is not normal — nor something you have to accept — as there are many treatment options available. Treatments include bladder training, pelvic floor muscle exercises, medications, vaginal inserts, office procedures and minimally invasive surgery. We are fortunate to be able to offer many nonsurgical and surgical treatments at all our locations. Q. I feel a bulge and heaviness down below. What’s causing this? A. When it comes to pelvic organ
NORTHWEST CHIROPRACTIC George G. Junkin, D.C. D.A.C.B.N. Nutritionist 11500 NW Frwy - Suite 201 Houston, Texas 77092 Tel: 713-686-0828 www.drjunkin.com
Ophthalmology
Dora CantĂş, M.D.
713.864.8652 1740 W. 27th St. Suite 180 Houston, TX 77008 www.opiavisioncenter.com
Obstetrics / Gynecology
Contributed photo Pelvic floor treatment, offered at Houston Methodist Hospital, can aid in treating a number of disorders that are common as people age.
prolapse, women often feel those exact symptoms. Additionally, women often report feeling pressure or laxity in their pelvic floor. There are just as many treatment options for prolapse as there are for incontinence. We offer patients a personalized approach to care based on the treatment options that best suit a patient’s needs. Q. What’s the danger if I do nothing? A. While pelvic floor disorders are rarely medical emergencies, both
prolapse and urinary incontinence can greatly affect lifestyles. Women with incontinence may choose their clothing, schedules and activities around the fear of losing bladder control or discomfort from prolapse. These conditions may also impact sexual function and confidence during intimacy. These are very personal topics; my goal is to make patients feel comfortable by reassuring them and informing them about what options are available for symptomatic
DR. STEPHANIE FULTON
relief. No woman likes to go the gynecologist and it can be difficult to talk about our most private health concerns, but fortunately, with so many options in my profession, patients rarely leave the office without a plan in place. If you have unanswered questions about pelvic floor disorders or other women’s health concerns, visit houstonmethodist.org/crpm or call 713.441.5800 to make an appointment.
Stephanie Fulton, M.D. 1740 W. 27 St. Suite 301 Houston, TX 77008 713-880-2727 www.fultonobgyn.com
Major Hospitals
Memorial Hermann Greater Heights
Local doctor discusses epilepsy By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com According the Epilepsy Foundation, one in 26 people will develop epilepsy at some time in their life. The incidence of epilepsy is higher in young children and in older adults. One of those affected by epilepsy is 17-year-old Elisabeth Elliott, a ballerina who regularly performs with the Houston Ballet in its annual production of “The Nutcracker.� The Epilepsy Foundation profiled Elliott’s story, which began when she was 9. Her mother, Kimberly, looked at her daughter at a neighborhood yard sale and noticed her gulping with a blank look on her face. Later, both Elisabeth and her mother realized she’d had previous seizures at school. Soon after, Elisabeth received her epilepsy diagnosis. Dr. Reza Sadeghi, a neurologist at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and affiliated physician with Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, said a person receives a diagnosis of epilepsy if they have two or more unprovoked seizures, meaning there were not any extenuating circumstances for the seizures. November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. “Sometimes trauma or an anxiety attack can cause abnormal movement or
tremors,� Sadeghi said. “Those are not a true epileptic event.� There are two main types of seizures, according to WebMD – focal or generalized. In the generalized group are tonic-clonic (or grand mal) seizures; clonic (or spasm-causing seizures); tonic seizures, which cause muscles to tense up; atonic seizures, which cause muscles to go limp; myoclonic seizures in which the muscles jerk; and absence (or petit mal) seizures. Triggers for a seizure, according to Sadeghi, include lack of sleep, stress or patients not keeping up with their medication. Sadeghi said seizures caused by idiopathic generalized epilepsy have a genetic cause and reveal themselves to patients in their childhood. Sometimes the patient can outgrow the seizures as a teen or young adult. These are different from localization-related epilepsies, which are most likely the result of trauma, like a car accident or a stroke. The first line of treatment for those with epilepsy is medication, which can be administered in a variety of ways, like a pill or an injection. Surgery can be another option, especially if people do not respond to two or more different types of medication. Sadeghi said that if imaging and other diagnostic
zure is something many loved ones of epilepsy patients worry about. Most recently, Disney star Cameron Boyce died in his sleep. His family later released a statement that said Boyce had epilepsy, and said his death was caused by a seizure that occurred during his sleep. The Epilepsy Foundation said that the sudden, unexpected death of someone
1635 North Loop West Houston, Texas 77008 Tel: 713-867-2000 memorialhermann.org Physician Referral 713.222.CARE
with epilepsy, or SUDEP, occurs in about 1 in 1,000 people with epilepsy. Sadeghi said it is a fallacy that a seizure patient can swallow his or her tongue as there is tissue to hold it in place. “(Death) is not very common if a patient is being managed properly,� Sadeghi said.
St. Joseph Medical Center in The Heights 1917 Ashland Street Houston, Texas 77008 Tel: 713-757-1000 Physician Referral 713-757-7575
For more information, visit www.epilepsy.com.
Dr. Reza Sadeghi
tests can pinpoint the part of the brain that is causing a focal seizure, then a lesionectomy or a temporal lobectomy can help resolve the seizures. That was the route that Elisabeth Elliott took as outlined in a 2016 KPRC story. One of the other mothers who Kimberly Elliott met at a performance of “The Nutcracker� in which their children were both performing was a neurologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. That doctor referred Elisabeth to a neurosurgeon at Texas Children’s Hospital who performed a left temporal lobectomy, removing the part of Elisabeth’s brain that was causing her epilepsy. Since then, she hasn’t had another seizure. Death as a result of sei-
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One-Stop Access for All Your Health Care Needs Houston Methodist in the Texas Medical Center is more than just a hospital. We offer a full spectrum of care — tailored to your unique needs, including: • Specialty physician offices, imaging and labs • Teams of experts using the newest technologies • Six centers of excellence in cancer, cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, orthopedics and sports medicine, and transplant
To find a doctor, visit houstonmethodist.org/more or call 713.790.3333.