Incontinence & Overactive Bladder
Urinary incontinence is any involuntary leakage of urine, whether it's a large amount or just a few drops. Millions of men and women in the UK experience urinary incontinence at some point in their lives.
Overactive bladder, also called OAB, causes a frequent and sudden urge to urinate that may be difficult to control. You may feel like you need to pass urine many times during the day and night, and may also experience unintentional loss of urine.
What type of incontinence?
The four most common types of urinary incontinence are:
Stress urinary incontinence is leakage with physical activity (for example – with coughing, laughing, sneezing)
Urge urinary incontinence is leakage preceded by a sudden urge to urinate
Mixed urinary incontinence is a mix of both stress and urge incontinence
Overflow urinary incontinence involves leakage due to a bladder that is too full
Urinary incontinence is common, but it can be managed and even reversed, in some cases. At Yorkshire urology we specialise in the treatment of urinary incontinence. We offer you personalised care and will work closely with you to determine your best treatment option.
How is it treated?
Which treatment we recommend will depend on the cause of your incontinence and the severity of the condition. Treatment options include:
Physical therapy – Kegel (pelvic floor) exercises can help strengthen the pelvic floor to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of UI.
Bladder training – This involves attempts at controlling when you urinate to help reduce or eliminate the symptoms of UI over time.
Behavioural therapies – These can include weight loss (to reduce pressure on organs and tissues), reducing caffeine intake, drinking less acidic drinks, eating a high-fibre diet, etc.
Vaginal inserts and pessaries – These devices are placed inside the vagina to help support the bladder and prevent leakage.
Medications – there are several types of overactive bladder medications available to treat urge urinary incontinence. Some of these medications work by reducing the bladder muscle contractions others work by relaxing the bladder muscle.
Chemodenervation of the Bladder (Botox injections) – This is therapy given directly into the bladder for overactive bladder/urge urinary incontinence. It is delivered using a cystoscope (bladder telescope) and is a quick and effective procedure in patients with overactive bladder who are not responsive to medications.
Sacral nerve modulation – Sacral nerve modulation is a NICE approved treatment for overactive bladder and can also be used for voiding problems. Sacral nerve modulation uses a small device that is implanted under the skin of one of the upper buttocks. It works by gently stimulating the sacral nerves to help the bladder function more normally. This is a very exciting treatment modality as in many patients, it is essentially a long-term cure requiring no further treatments.
Surgery – This can include vaginal sling procedures to support the urethra (urine pipes) and bladder neck, retropubic suspension surgery to lift a sagging bladder neck and urethra, and others.