Continence Therapy & Treatment

You Don’t Have to Live With Urinary Incontinence

In many cases of urinary incontinence, the discomfort and irritation may be unnecessary. Many treatment options are available.

Don’t stay silent. You do not have to live with urinary incontinence. Talk with your primary care provider or your OB/GYN provider today.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

It is very important to find out exactly which kind of incontinence you have.

An exam and complete evaluation will help your doctor decide the best course of treatment – which may include physical therapy, medication, and/or surgery performed by a gynecologist or urogynecologist.

Common kinds of urinary incontinence include:

Stress incontinence – Due to weak pelvic floor muscles, often happening when coughing, sneezing or laughing.
Urge incontinence – Peeing suddenly for no apparent reason while suddenly feeling the need or urge to pee, often with triggers like hearing running water or being close to the toilet.
Overflow incontinence – Inability to stop constant dribbling or continuing to dribble for some time after peeing because of urinary retention (the bladder not emptying fully).
Mixed incontinence – Accidents due to more than one of the causes above, usually with symptoms of both stress and urge incontinence.

Kinds of Treatment

More than one kind of treatment may be recommended at a time, for the best results.

Physical therapy

Pelvic floor muscle exercises.
Education about bladder health and ways to manage urge or stress incontinence.
Biofeedback – to help with awareness and control of pelvic floor muscles.

Devices and non-surgical intervention

Pessary – a ring-shaped device inserted into the vagina to provide support.
Nerve stimulation – done in the doctor’s office to work on the communication problem between the brain and the nerves that control the bladder.
Botox – relaxes the bladder muscle in cases of urge incontinence, may be done in the doctor’s office.

Medication

Smooth muscle relaxants – medications to relax the bladder muscle wall to reduce accidents.

Surgery

Sling – mesh material, placed through a few small incisions, providing support.
Prolapse repair – to correct prolapsed organs or vagina, which can cause incontinence.