Abstract
Perhaps the most important aspect of evaluation of female lower urinary tract issues is a thorough and well-focused history and physical examination. Accurately understanding patient symptoms requires a true grasp of the patient’s perception of their problems, paired with a directed physical examination to link any anatomic findings with the patient’s complaints.
History taking should focus on the patient’s symptoms including urinary, bowel, and pelvic floor symptoms as well as general health and medications. Physical exam can be focused on the female pelvic floor and should be performed with thoughtfulness to the sensitive nature of the exam as well as to the patient’s specific concerns.
Adjunct testing as part of the initial history and physical exam may be helpful to further characterize the nature of the problem. Tests such as examination of urine, post-void residual measurements, voiding diaries, pad weights, and more specialized testing may be utilized for the appropriate patient and scenario.
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Gleicher, S., Ginzburg, N. (2023). Clinical Evaluation of the Female Lower Urinary Tract and Pelvic Floor. In: Martins, F.E., Holm, H.V., Sandhu, J.S., McCammon, K.A. (eds) Female Genitourinary and Pelvic Floor Reconstruction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19598-3_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19598-3_7
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