Urinary Incontinence

What is Urinary Incontinence?

The urinary sphincter muscle helps keep urine inside the body by maintaining closure of the bladder outlet. When you urinate, this muscle relaxes to allow urine to pass. If the urinary sphincter becomes weakened, it can lead to a loss of bladder control and urinary leakage.

One of the most common forms of urinary incontinence is stress incontinence. This type occurs when pressure is placed on the bladder, causing urine to leak. Activities such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising, or lifting heavy objects can trigger stress incontinence.

Women may also experience other types of urinary incontinence, including:

• Urge incontinence: a sudden, strong urge to urinate followed by involuntary urine leakage.
• Overflow incontinence: ongoing leakage caused by difficulty fully emptying the bladder.
• Mixed incontinence: a combination of two or more types of urinary incontinence.

What Causes Urinary Incontinence?

Several factors can contribute to urinary incontinence. Common causes include:

• Pregnancy

• Vaginal childbirth

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

• Aging

• Menopause

• Obesity

• Recent gynecological procedures

• Diabetes

Certain neurological conditions can also affect bladder control. Disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis may interfere with the nerves that help regulate normal urinary function.

Can Urinary Incontinence Be Treated?

Treatment for urinary incontinence depends on the type of symptoms you are experiencing and how severe they are. Your physician may initially recommend conservative approaches such as lifestyle changes, medications, or pelvic floor exercises designed to strengthen the muscles that support bladder control.

If these treatments do not provide sufficient relief, or if your symptoms are more significant, your doctor may discuss minimally invasive procedures that can help improve bladder control and typically involve a relatively quick recovery time, such as:

• Sacral neuromodulation therapy, with Axonics or Interstim, regulates nerves involved in bladder control, reducing the urgency and frequency of incontinence and overactive bladder symptoms 
• Botox for relaxation of the bladder muscles involved in causing overactive bladder with urge incontinence
• Urethral bulking through the cystoscope, to reduce leaking with coughing and sneezing, including Bulkamid, a soft, water-based gel that can be used to restore the natural closing of the urethra
• Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT), the “gold standard” for stress incontinence has an up to 90% success rate and has been safely used for over 20 years

To learn more about female urinary incontinence or your treatment options, call Urology Associates or request an appointment. Our experienced professionals are here to help you get to a place of greater wellness and comfort.