What is the difference between a urogynecologist and a urologist?

The biggest difference between the two is that a urogynecologist only treats women, while a urologist may treat both sexes. While a urologist also works on the urinary system and genitals, they don’t work on the pelvic floor.

The two specialists both undergo somewhat different educations. Both go to medical school, but the aspiring urogynecologist is first trained as a gynecologist, while the urology candidate is not. After securing their degree in gynecology, the urogynecology candidate then undertakes a fellowship that lasts at least three years. During this time, the candidate studies surgical procedures for reconstructing the pelvic floor, treatments for incontinence and other related matters.

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is the network of muscles, tissues and ligaments that support the excretory and reproductive organs. If the pelvic floor becomes weakened, it can lead to conditions like pelvic organ prolapse, in which one or more organs drop from their normal position and press down on the vagina.

Pelvic floor disorders and incontinence are both often caused by things that damage the muscles, tissues or nerves. Such damage can be caused by childbirth, obesity, surgery, aging and chronic diseases. Smoking can also increase the risk of incontinence.

Childbirth is the most common cause of pelvic floor prolapse. Large babies, prolonged labor and extensive use of instruments during delivery also increase the chances of a pelvic floor prolapse

What happens during a first visit to a urogynecologist?

During your first visit to our office, we will take your medical history to learn the best ways we can help you. This will also be your first chance to talk about any symptoms you may have been experiencing.

We may also conduct a physical exam depending on the nature of your problem. For example, if you visit us for urinary incontinence, we can conduct tests to evaluate the workings of your bladder. These exams will help us provide you with the best treatment options for your problem.

What are Kegel exercises?

Kegel exercises, also known as pelvic floor muscle training, are a series of exercises done to strengthen the pelvic floor. They are often prescribed as a way to treat or prevent pelvic floor disorders, especially urinary incontinence. Dr. Thomas can give you information on how to do these exercises properly and effectively.

Your feminine health is personal and important. That’s why you should only trust an expert to care for it. Dr. Sherry Thomas has been helping women with their urogynecological concerns for over twenty years. If you are looking for professional care for your situation or simply want to maintain your health, schedule an appointment with the office of Dr. Sherry Thomas in Agoura Hills today.

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Why See a Urogynecologist?

If you have some type of disorder with your pelvic floor, you will begin to have troubling symptoms that won’t go away. One of the most common is urinary incontinence and an urge to go to the bathroom often because your bladder has dropped. You may also have problems with your bowel movements and lose control due to a shift in your bowel. In some instances, you may experience a feeling of pressure against your vagina or bulges in your vagina or rectum. This is due to a drop in your organs down into your vagina or rectum. Pain or discomfort can become a constant companion. In emergency situations, severe bleeding may occur. If you are experiencing these problems, a urogynecologist can help you to get to the bottom of the problem in order to find a solution.

What is a Urogynecologist?

A urogynecologist is a specialist who focuses on pelvic floor disorders for women. If you are facing a problem with this delicate and intricate area of your body, you want to see a doctor like Dr. Sherry Thomas, who deals with these types of issues on a daily basis. It’s important to get a proper diagnosis and move forward with the help of a medical professional. You need to have a better quality of life. In rare instances, your problem could have a major impact on your health. Don’t hesitate to seek expert assistance from a urogynecologist.

What Can a Urogynecologist Do for You?

A urogynecologist recognizes the unique conditions that affect the pelvic floor of a woman. You will be able to get a proper diagnosis based on your symptoms, an examination and further testing. From that point, our doctor will lead you on the path toward treatment. You may be required to do specific exercises known as Kegels to strengthen the pelvic floor. Medications may assist you as well. Surgical alternatives are also available. Your treatment will depend on your situation.

Learn More About How Our Urogynecologist Can Help You

If you are experiencing problems that are related to your pelvic floor, set up a consultation at the office of Dr. Sherry Thomas in Agoura Hills. There is no reason to continue living in discomfort. With the aid of our urogynecologist, you can find relief from your symptoms and move forward with your life. Contact our office today to schedule your appointment.

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What is a urogynecologist?

A urogynecologist is a reconstructive surgeon who specializes in treating disorders involving the pelvic region. Their patients are women with pelvic floor disorders or conditions involving the organs, muscles or connective tissues in the pelvic area.

They, therefore, treat various types of incontinence, severe constipation, and prolapse of the bladder or uterus. They do not, however, treat any cancer. Nor do they treat kidney stones or deformed kidneys.

Urogynecology is considered a subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology. A urogynecologist has usually finished their OB/GYN residency, which takes four years, and then followed it up with a fellowship. During the fellowship, which lasts two or three years, the doctor will learn to evaluate and treat pelvic floor disorders.

As of 2012, urogynecologists can become board certified, which means they have taken and passed standardized tests administered by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. A board certified urogynecologist’s title will be followed by FPMRS, which stands for Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

A primary care physician or OB/GYN is likely to recommend a urogynecologist in cases of pelvic organ prolapse, certain types of vaginal surgery, problems emptying the bladder or bowels, and incontinence that isn’t responding to medications.

What is a urologist?

A urologist specializes in treating disorders of the urogenital system which covers the male and female urinary tract systems and male reproductive organs Thus urologists may treat disorders involving organs like the bladder, kidneys, testicles, and urethra. He may embark on fellowships that specialize in such fields as reconstruction of the urethra and “female” urology after completing a residency that takes five or six years.

During their residency, the urologist may spend the first 12 months learning general surgical techniques. He then spends three years learning clinical urology. The last year of the residency is spent learning techniques relevant to the urologist’s chosen field. Some of these fields can overlap with the specialties of the urogynecologist. Some urologists may also undertake Masters or Ph.D. programs to become instructors.

While urogynecologists treat only women, urologists can treat both men and women. Some urologists do specialize in treating only one sex, however. Others may concentrate on a given medical problem, like kidney transplants or erectile dysfunction.

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Contact the office of Dr. Sherry Thomas today for further information or to schedule your appointment.

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A urogynecologist is a specialist physician who treats women’s pelvic floor disorders and develops appropriate treatments and interventions such as exercises and surgeries. After medical school, urogynecologists complete their residency in either Urology or Obstetrics and Gynecology. Their continuing studies focus on the muscles and organs in the female pelvis. They study how these structures can be strengthened and healed from sudden or chronic injuries. Urogynecologists are often called in by oncologists treating female patients with uterine, bladder, and cervical cancers for surgical consultations.

Urogynecology is a relatively new specialty that came to be when The American Board of Medical Specialties saw a need for more gynecologists and urologists who were well-versed in female pelvic reconstructive surgery. The very first urogynecologists became board-certified in 2013. Since then, hundreds of urologists and gynecologists in the United States have underdone the certification process needed to become a urogynecologist.

Since organs in the female pelvis share connected tissue, when one of them is injured, the others are at risk of becoming damaged as well. This is why women who have recently given birth vaginally suffer from urinary and fecal incontinence, fistulas, tears, and an overactive bladder. Similarly, women who do a lot of heavy lifting over the course of their lives – whether it was gym weights or their own small children – often experience pelvic organ prolapse. This is a urogynecological condition in which an organ falls from its natural place within the pelvis. Following childbirth or surgery, the connective muscles around an organ can be stretched too far or severely weakened. After prolapsing, the organ presses against the vaginal wall until it can be fixed by a urogynecologist during surgery.

Women typically see urogynecologists after being referred to them by their gynecologist or urologist after complaints of specific lower abdominal pains and bladder and sphincter issues. In addition to surgical interventions, urogynecologists can recommend special (especially pre- and post-natal) exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor and prevent incontinence and other pelvic-related problems. If you have pelvic issues that still haven’t been resolved after seeing a urologist or gynecologist, it may be time to be examined by a urogynecologist.

Located in Agoura Hills, Dr. Sherry Thomas is a world-renowned gynecologist who specializes in women’s health and treating serious conditions that afflict her female patients. Contact Dr. Sherry Thomas today to schedule a consultation and find out how she can help you.

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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.

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