An estimated 33 million people suffer from overactive bladder, which is a higher number than patients with diabetes. People who have urinary control problems may feel embarrassed about the problem and learn to live with it or change their lifestyle because of this condition.

Overactive bladder is treated at first with exercises and drug therapy. If these don’t work some doctors in the area are using InterStim therapy to treat this debilitating condition with good results “This is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. To be able to do the things that I love to do without restrictions” Patricia, InterStim patient.
InterStim therapy is a non-destructive, minimally invasive, completely reversible, yet highly effective therapy that is approved to treat the symptoms of urge incontinence, non-obstructive urinary retention, and urgency-frequency. InterStim uses a small device to send mild electrical impulses to a nerve located in the lower back just above the tailbone. The nerve, called the sacral nerve, controls the bladder and surrounding muscles that manage urinary function.

Unlike most devices and therapies, InterStim can be tested before the actual permanent device is placed to see what the effect of stimulation is on a patients symptoms. During a test, a thin wire with small electrodes is placed underneath the skin near the appropriate nerve and attached to a small neurotransmitter. If the test is successful in reducing or completely eliminating leaking episodes, the test lead is replaced with a permanent lead that is attached to a neurostimulator, which is placed under the skin as an outpatient procedure. The neurostimulator is about the size of a stopwatch and can be adjusted or turned off by a hand-held programmer at any time.

Dr. Denise Howard is hosting a patient education seminar on Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m. Please RSVP to 770-460-4644.

Atlanta Metro Urology is hosting a patient education seminar on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. Please RSVP to 770-716-9656.

This treatment is covered by Medicare and most major insurers and is typically done as an outpatient procedure. Currently, there are only two practices in the area that are trained and offer InterStim therapy: Dr. F.A. Duralde and Dr. Peter Nicholson, Atlanta Metro Urology Clinic ,770-716-9656 and Dr. Denise Howard , Georgia Urogynecology, 770-460-4644 and www.georgiaurogynecology.com.

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