What Is a Urogynecologist
When it comes to women and women’s health, many people think only of going to a gynecologist for treatment. While a gynecologist or OB-GYN handles general matters of women’s health, a urogynecologist is specialized in more advanced and localized treatments. Combing the specialties of urology and gynecology, a urogynecologist has advanced training in the care and treatment of women’s pelvic floor disorders.
Dr. Sherry Thomas – located in Agoura Hills, Calif. – is board certified with more than 20 years of experience in her field. She is both a urogynecologist and surgeon specializing in pelvic reconstructive surgery, hysterectomy, pelviscopy, incontinence and fistula surgery.
Urogynecologists possess an all-encompassing knowledge of the female pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is a term used to describe a set of muscles, ligaments and connective tissue in the lowest part of the pelvis that provides support for a woman’s internal organs – including the bowel, bladder, uterus, vagina, and rectum. This means that you only have to see one specialist to treat a myriad of symptoms that can sometimes occur simultaneously.
As a urogynecologist, Dr. Sherry has further training in the analysis and treatment of conditions that impact the female pelvic organs, muscles and connective tissues that support the organs. This discipline makes it possible to care for women using both surgical and non-surgical treatment of non-cancerous gynecologic problems.
Dr. Sherry provides treatment for pelvic floor disorders including incontinence (urinary or fecal) and prolapse of the vagina, bladder and/or the uterus. Some of these include:
- Incontinence – the uncontrolled leaking of urine from the bladder, a condition that is more likely to occur in older women and is different than the incontinence experienced by children. In this particular case, treatments that range from exercise and medications to surgery are recommended.
- Cystocele – when the wall between the bladder and vagina is torn by childbirth, which causes the bladder to actually herniate into the vagina area. Cystocele can be painful and cause discomfort when trying to empty the bladder and cause a number of other symptoms as well. Women who are approaching menopause are more likely to suffer from this condition.
- Prolapse – when the pelvic organs of the female descend from their normal position and protrude into, or even through, the vagina area. Prolapse is a condition that can happen to women of all ages, though it most commonly occurs to women who have delivered large babies or had exceedingly long periods of labor.
- Hysterectomy – the surgical removal of the uterus – which may include the body, cervix, and fundus that is often called a “complete” hysterectomy or a partial one that leaves the cervix in place.
Some issues and symptoms stem from childbirth, while others simply come as we age. At Dr. Sherry Thomas’s office, it is our goal to offer complete treatment for all your pelvic floor conditions. Common treatments can range from medication or localized exercise to surgery – depending on the severity of the condition.
Whether you’re suffering from chronic symptoms, or you’ve been recommended to see a urogynecologist, Dr. Sherry can help you get the treatment you need. Call Dr. Sherry Thomas’s office today to schedule your appointment.