How to Treat Stress Urinary Incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence is a leading cause of urine leakage from the bladder. It occurs primarily in women. The frequency of stress incontinence increases gradually with advancing age due to progressive weakness of pelvic floor muscles. Activities that increase pressure within our abdomen such as sneezing, laughing or coughing can provoke spontaneous leakage of urine. Stress urinary incontinence is not medically dangerous; however, it can be highly embarrassing and anxiety provoking. Fortunately treatments do exist. What are the best ways to treat stress urinary incontinence?

Instructions

• 1

  Lose weight through diet and lifestyle modification. Overweight or obese women experience a higher frequency of stress urinary incontinence.

• 2

  Minimize consumption of alcoholic or caffeinated beverages. Both increase urine production.

• 3

  Practice pelvic floor strengthening exercises. Also known as Kegel exercises these simple exercises are effective, convenient and have few, if any, side effects.

• 4

  Try electrical stimulation to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and reduce stress incontinence symptoms.

• 5

  Apply vaginal estrogen cream particularly if stress incontinence is associated with being menopausal. The use of estrogen therapy is complicated. Pros and cons of therapy should be discussed in depth with your doctor.

• 6

  Consider oral medications that help the pelvic wall muscles contract more tightly. This helps to prevent unexpected urinary leakage characteristic of stress incontinence. Discuss options with your doctor.

• 7

  Consult a physician specialist such as a urologist or urogynecologist to discuss surgical treatments for stress urinary incontinence. Many procedures have a high success rate; nevertheless, surgery should be entertained only after failure of conservative therapy.