Treatment for Female Urinary Incontinence in Reston, VA
Incontinence is a Common but Treatable Condition
Urinary incontinence is a condition where there is loss of control in managing the flow of urine from your body. This condition can occur in women between the ages of 18 and 60 and beyond and is usually a result of the urethra not being closed tightly to keep urine in the bladder.
Symptoms of urinary incontinence vary from:
- Inability to prevent leaking urine when exercising or other involuntary actions such as coughing or sneezing
- Overwhelming urge to urinate that often causes them to urinate before getting to a bathroom.
The 7 Types of Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence can be caused by a range of different issues. Because of this, incontinence can be categorized in one of the following seven ways:
Urge
The sudden and unexpected need to urinate more than 8 times per day can lead to leaks voiding.
Stress
The involuntary loss of urine due to increased pressure on the abdomen and bladder.
Overflow
Small amounts of urine involuntarily leaks because the patient is unable to sense when the bladder is full.
Mixed
Mixed incontinence is the most common form. Patients exhibit symptoms of both stress and urge incontinence.
Functional
There is no issue with the urinary system, but the patient is unable to make it to the bathroom in time due to mental or physical limitations.
Transient
This form of incontinence is temporary and caused by a short lived condition or treatment for a condition.
Total Incontinence
Total incontinence is the complete loss of urinary control due to a severe physical injury or abnormality.
Testing & Diagnosing Incontinence
Our office can perform a variety of tests to determine which will help them get a better idea of what may be causing symptoms. The most common tests that are performed include:
- Urine Volume Test. After urinating, the doctor will measure the amount of urine that is left inside of the bladder. This will help determine if leftover urine is causing symptoms that are nearly identical to an overactive bladder.
- Urine Flow Measurement. The doctor will measure the volume of urine and the speed at which the urine is leaving the urethra. This test will help them identify any possible issues caused by blockages or abnormalities.
- Bladder Pressure Test. The doctor will slowly fill the bladder with warm water. A pressure sensor will be used to measure changes in the patient’s bladder pressure. This will help identify any involuntary muscle contractions or a bladder that is not able to store urine at low pressure.
Urinary Incontinence Treatment Options
Behavior Therapies
Behavior modification is used to train one’s bladder and sphincter muscles by decreasing fluid intake and by prompting or scheduling voiding.
Pelvic Muscle Exercises
Called Kegel exercises, these exercises commonly are intended to strengthen weak muscles surrounding the bladder.
Protective Undergarments
Basically these are pads undergarments designed to absorb leaked urine.
Catheter
These tubes are inserted into the urethra to collect urine into an external drainage bag. These are generally left in place 24 hours a day.
External Devices
Called a Pessary, this device is designed to apply pressure to help re-position the urethra permitting it to close tightly. It features a stiff ring that is inserted into the vagina to exert pressure press against the wall of the vagina and urethra.
Medications
There are a number of medications to treat urge incontinence. When incontinence is stress related, there are no medications for to treat this. For incontinence caused by a combination of both urge and stress, drug therapy may be helpful in treating the urge component.
Bulking Injections
Bulking agents such as collagen are injected directly into the urethral lining to firm and bulk up the urethral lining so that the urethra can close more tightly.
Surgical Treatment Options at Virginia Women’s Health Associates
There are a number of surgical approaches to strengthen, support, elevate and/or restore the urethra and bladder. These are employed when other treatments are not working and include:
- Retropubic Suspensions. Surgical procedures (Burch procedure) intended to restore the urethra and neck of the bladder to a higher anatomical position.
- Slings. Procedures used to treat that treats hypermobility in which a sling is used to support the urethra when there is increased abdominal pressure.
- Bone-fixed slings – treat incontinence by supporting the urethra with a graft material attached to the pubic bone.
- Self-fixated slings – can be used to support the urethra and are secured in place by friction and tissue in growth, and require no sutures or screws.
If you have symptoms of urinary incontinence, you may need to be diagnosed so that treatment can begin. Contact Virginia Women’s Health Associates today to schedule an appointment.