Meet Rebecca Rinko, DO, (pictured above, right) a female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgeon. Since moving to Greenville, S.C. in 2018, Dr. Rinko and the team at Bon Secours Urogynecology have helped many women take control of their pelvic floor disorders and regain their quality of life.
From urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse to both emptying and overactive disorders, Dr. Rinko sees many different issues related to the pelvic floor. Such issues are very common; in fact, at least one in four women will experience a pelvic floor problem at some point in their life.
“Urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse are common, but they are not normal,” Dr. Rinko explains. “There are treatments for these things.”
Take Donna Sams for example. She began seeing Dr. Rinko in October of 2021 after being referred to her for help treating her own pelvic floor issues.
“I was very uncomfortable with the issues I was experiencing – and as a result of the issues, I was very nervous about what would happen next,” Donna shares. “I had an international trip scheduled for 2022 and I knew that I would continue to be uncomfortable if I couldn’t get them fixed before I was due to leave.”
Dr. Rinko stresses that despite how common these pelvic floor problems can be, many women feel uncomfortable trying to address them due to them being taboo. So, she and her team work overtime to ease patients’ anxiety from day one.
“The anxiousness I was feeling disappeared when I met Dr. Rinko,” Donna explains. “From the moment I entered her office, everyone was just perfect. From the front desk staff to Dr. Rinko herself, they all made me feel very comfortable. You just know when a person is the one that you want to have do your surgery – and Dr. Rinko was that person for me. She explained the various surgical options that were available to me and assured me that, whichever one I chose, she would do her best to correct the issues.”
Donna did end up having surgery, a procedure that proved successful. Thanks to Dr. Rinko, she was able to thoroughly enjoy her trip out of the country.
Although pelvic floor disorders usually occur after childbirth, they can happen to women of any age – and, again, they are nothing to be embarrassed about!
“Topics related to the pelvic floor can be very private and embarrassing for many women to talk about with family, friends and even with their primary care physician,” Dr. Rinko says. “I hope that as more women learn that there are doctors who specialize in treating pelvic floor disorders, it will help to decrease any previous stigma.”
Learn more about the pelvic health services we offer at Bon Secours.
