When you visit your healthcare provider for help with lower urinary tract symptoms, they will review your history of symptoms and what tends to make your symptoms better and worse. They may ask how often, how long, and how severe your symptoms are. They may also ask how your symptoms impact the things you do every day, like taking care of yourself, your job, your hobbies, and your sleep.

To better understand your symptoms and how they’re affecting you, your healthcare provider may also do:

• Physical exam of your abdomen (belly) and pelvis. During this exam, your healthcare provider will check for things that might be causing symptoms, like a mass, stool (poop), fistula (a hole that forms in the wall of the vagina and opens into the urinary tract), or pelvic organ prolapse. They will also check your pelvic floor muscle strength and see if you have any skin irritation or vaginal discharge. Learn more about how a pelvic exam is done. If you feel uncomfortable or are in pain at any point, you always have the right to ask the healthcare provider to stop.
• Cough stress test. Your healthcare provider will ask you to cough to see if any urine leaks out. Usually, this test is done while you lie on your back with your knees and hips bent. Sometimes, your healthcare provider will ask you to stand. You need a comfortably full bladder for this test.
• Neurological exam. Your healthcare provider may ask you some questions and do an exam to learn if any nervous system (brain or nerve) issues might be causing your symptoms.

Your healthcare provider understands that lower urinary tract symptoms can be hard to talk about, and they are there to support you.

You can bring someone you trust with you to appointments, and you have the right to have a support person (like a nurse) present when you see your healthcare provider. If a chaperone like a nurse is not offered and you would like to have one, let your healthcare provider know.

Other things to tell your healthcare provider

You are the most important part of your healthcare team. Tell your healthcare provider about the impact your symptoms are having on the things that are important to you, like your job, hobbies and interests, and relationships.

There are many health conditions that may contribute to lower urinary tract symptoms, like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and conditions that affect the brain. Talking with your healthcare provider about your overall health is important. This will help them find and manage any other conditions which may help with your urinary incontinence symptoms.

Making the most of your appointment

If you don’t understand what your healthcare team is telling you, let them know right away. Be open and honest. You might say:

• “It sounded like you said that I should… Did I understand that correctly?”
• “Can you show me a picture or model to help me understand?”

Learn more about working with your healthcare team and making the most of your appointment.