Incontinence Information
Acute incontinence
Temporary (acute) incontinence is treated by eliminating the underlying cause. This may involve treating a urinary tract infection with antibiotics, changing a medication that causes incontinence as a side effect, or other treatments. When the underlying cause is removed, incontinence clears up.
Stress incontinence
Mild to moderate stress incontinence may be treated with Kegel exercises or medications. A combination of treatments may also be used. More serious stress incontinence that does not respond to medication or exercise therapy is usually treated surgically. For people who have moderate to severe incontinence, changes in habits and Kegel exercises may be tried. If this form of treatment does not work, medication or surgical treatments are added.
Stress incontinence is the most common form of incontinence that is treated surgically. When this is the only cause of incontinence, the person's medical history, a physical exam, and some simple tests (such as the bladder stress test) may be all that are needed to be certain of the cause before doing surgery. If there may be additional causes of incontinence (possible mixed incontinence), a complete evaluation should be done before surgery is considered.
Other options are also used for the treatment of incontinence. These include mechanical vaginal devices.
Some doctors who specialize in problems of the urinary tract (urologists) treat stress incontinence by injecting collagen into the tube through which urine leaves the body (urethra). This treatment, called urethral bulking, builds up the urethra where it leaves the bladder. This sometimes helps the bladder to hold back urine. However, it is usually less effective than surgery.
Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence may be classified as motor or sensory urge incontinence. The treatment of these two problems differs.
* Motor urge incontinence is treated with changes in habits (bladder training) or medications. Surgery is usually done only as a last resort.
* Sensory urge incontinence is usually caused by an underlying problem that can be corrected, such as a urinary tract infection or abnormal growths within the bladder. Once the underlying problem is treated, the incontinence problem also is eliminated. If the problem is not eliminated with appropriate treatment, medications and changes in habits may be tried.
Overflow incontinence
Overflow incontinence is usually treated with surgery to remove the obstruction in the urinary tract that is causing the bladder to overfill or by using a thin tube to empty the bladder regularly. This is called intermittent self-catheterization (see the section Other Treatment Choices in this topic). Medication treatment is usually not effective for overflow incontinence.
Reflex incontinence
Reflex incontinence is usually treated by using a thin tube to empty the bladder regularly. This is called intermittent self-catheterization (see the section Other Treatment Choices in this topic). It is sometimes treated with medication and (rarely) surgery.
Functional incontinence
Functional incontinence is treated by modifying the person's surroundings to allow him or her to get to and use the restroom more quickly. This may involve rearranging furniture, trying different clothing arrangements (making clothes easier to remove), or making other changes.
Incontinence Information
