Urinary Incontinence: Treatment and Procedure Options

Urinary incontinence means unintentional urine leakage. Stress, urgency, overflow and mixed incontinence have different causes and treatments, so the type should be assessed before choosing a procedure.

Assessment

Assessment may include symptoms, bladder diary, medicines, urine testing, pelvic examination, residual urine measurement and selected further tests. Bleeding, pain, recurrent infection, difficulty emptying the bladder or new neurological symptoms require clinical review.

Non-surgical treatment

Lifestyle measures, pelvic-floor muscle training and bladder training are commonly considered first, depending on the diagnosis. Medicines may be appropriate for selected urgency symptoms. The NHS non-surgical treatment guide explains that treatment depends on type and severity.

Procedures and surgery

Options can include bulking injections, colposuspension, selected sling procedures, artificial urinary sphincter or nerve-stimulation treatments. Each addresses a different mechanism. Pregnancy plans and any previous mesh procedure are important. The NHS surgery guide recommends discussing benefits, risks and alternatives with a specialist.

Risks and expectations

Risks vary and may include infection, bleeding, pain, urinary retention, persistent or new leakage, bladder or bowel injury, sexual problems, device or mesh complications and further treatment. No procedure guarantees bladder control or quality-of-life improvement.

See Revitalize’s incontinence surgery information or contact route.