By: Anna Myers, MSN, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, CUNP, RN
Many women and men suffer from overactive bladder symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency and leakage. However, many patients are getting relief from their bladder symptoms with Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS). PTNS is an office treatment and frequently works even if other treatments have failed. Overactive bladder occurs when the interaction between the bladder, brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves doesn’t work as it should and the bladder sends signals to the brain that it should be emptied when it’s not even full. During the treatment, mild electrical impulses enter through an acupuncture type needle placed near the ankle. The impulses travel up the tibial nerve in the leg to reach nerves responsible for bladder control.
The treatments are 30 minutes weekly for 12 weeks and then monthly treatments thereafter scheduled at your convenience. We go over your bladder symptoms from the week or month before and the rest of the time you can read or catch up on emails. After treatment with PTNS, patients find that they are going to the bathroom less at night, during the day and have less leakage. **information in this post is referenced from Cogentix Medical, www.urgentpcinfo.com
If you have any questions or desire to further discuss your urological concerns, please call our office at (330) 685-9920. Thank you!
Anna Myers is a women’s health, urology and family board certified nurse practitioner working in our office in Wooster, Ohio.