Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is a common problem, particularly in middle-aged and older women. Other predisposing factors besides age include:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Pregnancy (increased number of live births)
• Hysterectomy
• Depression

There are three major types of incontinence:

Stress Incontinence

Symptoms:

• Involuntary loss of urine in response to any activity that increases abdominal pressure (i.e. lifting, coughing, laughing, sneezing or certain exercises).
• This loss is due to urethral weakness/hypermobility or poor pelvic floor support.

Treatment:

• Pelvic floor strengthening/Physical Therapy
• Kegel exercise/ Kegel weights
• Sub urethral sling surgical procedure
• Bulkamid – minimally invasive procedure adding hydrogel filler to give additional urethral support

Urgency Incontinence or Overactive Bladder (OAB)

Symptoms:

• Involuntary loss of urine preceded by sudden uncontrollable urge to urinate
• Nocturia – urinating 1-2x at night or more
• Frequency – the need to urinate greater than 8 times in 24 hours

Treatment:

• Kegel exercises/PT pelvic floor strengthening (we offer in-office pelvic floor consultation)
• Fluid management (especially before bed)
• Avoidance of bladder-irritating food
• Timed bathroom breaks
• Oral medication
• Botox – small dose injected into the bladder muscle to decrease overactivity
• Sacral or tibial nerve stimulation

Mixed Incontinence

• Includes stress and urgency symptoms

Though urinary incontinence is a distressing and prevalent problem, less than 50% of affected women seek treatment. This may be due to embarrassment or the misconception that incontinence is a “normal” consequence of childbirth and/or aging. Fortunately, there are many modalities to help alleviate the negative impact that incontinence can have on our social, work and home lives.

How do you get the most out of your healthcare visit?

Come Prepared:

• Keep a diary.
• How often do you go to the bathroom and what time of day?
• What foods or drinks bring on the sense of urinary urgency?
• Cite whether leakage of urine is a few drops or a more substantial amount (i.e. soaking undergarments)
• Record what you were doing at the time of leakage.
• Do you use pads for protection against leakage?

These details help complete the puzzle to the root cause of your incontinence and guide us in the right direction for your treatment.

If you’re experiencing bladder leakage or urgency, Modern Women’s Care is here to help with compassionate, judgment-free care. Schedule a consultation today and take the first step toward restoring your confidence and comfort.