A Urodynamics study helps us to make a total assessment of your bladder problem.
Your doctor may refer you for a urodynamics test if you have symptoms of:
- Leaking when coughing
- Urgency
- Frequency
- Urine infections
The test will measure pressure inside your bladder while it is filling and when you pass urine. Measurements are also taken to assess the strength of your pelvic floor muscles.
Please fill in the input and output chart and bring this with you when you attend. It is designed to measure how much you are drinking and how much urine you pass.
Instructions to follow before your test
It is important to stop taking any tablets or patches you have been prescribed for your bladder symptoms for 5 days before your test. This does not include antibiotics or diuretic tablets (water tablets).
What will happen before the test?
You will be asked details about your bladder problem and will be given the opportunity to discuss any worries or concerns you have about the test.
What does the test involve?
When you arrive at the clinic with a comfortably full bladder you will be asked to pass urine into a special toilet which you will do in private.
The next stage involves applying a local anaesthetic lubricant to numb the area. A small tube will be inserted into your bladder and a small pressure sensor into the back passage. Your bladder will be refilled and pressure measurements taken until your bladder feels full.
At this point you will be asked to pass urine into the special toilet again until you feel your bladder is empty. The tubes will then be removed and you will be able to wash and get dressed.
What will happen after the test?
The appointment takes 30 to 60 minutes. In some cases it may be arranged for you to see a doctor or nurse immediately following the test to discuss the results, and this may take longer. Alternatively, you may be sent a follow up appointment to see the doctor at a later date.
After your test we recommend that you increase your fluid intake over the next 24 hours to prevent any irritation after the procedure.