Overactive bladder medications - primarily for urgency and urge incontinence.
Kegel’s exercises - home program lasting 6 weeks for symptoms such as urgency, stress/urge incontinence.
Biofeedback - performed after failure of 6 weeks of Kegel’s exercises at home. 30 minute office appointment for 4-6 weeks to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles
Pelvic floor rehabilitation
Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) - used to treat overactive bladder that has not responded to medication.
Surgical Options
Anterior Repair/Cystocele Repair - surgical repair of significant bladder/pelvic prolapse
Sling procedures - surgical repair of stress incontinence
“Single Incision Sling” - less invasive surgical procedure to correct stress incontinence
Urinalysis/Urine Culture - to rule out infection as a cause of urinary symptoms
Cystoscopy - to rule out any anomalies or malignant processes that could be causing urinary symptoms
Urodynamics - a functional study of the bladder used to diagnose different types of incontinence
Definitions
Cystocele- a condition that occurs because of weakened pelvic floor muscles resulting in a drop of the bladder from its usual position down into the vagina.
Pelvic floor- refers to the ligaments and muscles located at the base of the abdomen which support the bladder, uterus, urethra and rectum.
Urge Incontinence- involuntary leakage accompanied by or immediately proceeded by an urge to urinate.
Stress Incontinence- leakage that occurs with physical activity, such as coughing, sneezing, lifting, bending etc.
Mixed incontinence- leakage that occurs with a combination of stress and urge incontinence.
Neurogenic bladder- neurologic condition causing decreased or absent bladder function.
Functional Incontinence- leakage that occurs when a person is unable to reach the toilet in time due to a physical or mental impairment.
Overactive Bladder- a urologic condition defined by a set of symptoms which may include urgency, frequency, and urge incontinence.
