What Treatments Can Help with My Incontinence?

As many as 70% of women develop some form of urinary incontinence at some point during their lives, with symptoms that can take a toll on your comfort, your wellness, and your overall quality of life. 

If you’re one of those millions, it’s important to know that there are treatments available that can help reduce or even eliminate your symptoms, so you can feel more confident and more comfortable.

In this post, Richard Roberts, MD, and the team at OB/GYN Associates of Conroe review the most effective treatment options to help you finally find the incontinence relief you’ve been seeking. 

Medications

For many women struggling with mild to moderate urge incontinence or overactive bladder (OAB), medications can be effective in helping them find relief. Our team uses a variety of medications based on the type of incontinence, each woman’s unique symptoms and medical history, and other factors to achieve maximum benefits.

For some of our patients, medication therapy involves medicines designed to calm the bladder muscle, preventing overstimulation that can lead to constant urges. Other women benefit from hormonal therapy using bioidentical estrogen  to replace estrogen lost during menopause or perimenopause.

Some antidepressant medications help improve bladder control by modulating nerve and muscle responses, particularly for women with symptoms of both stress and urge incontinence, a condition called mixed incontinence. Another medication called pseudoephedrine can be used to treat some types of incontinence, as well. 

Pelvic floor strengthening

Your pelvic floor is made up of a collection of muscles and ligaments that support your bladder and other pelvic organs. When they weaken, you’re more likely to develop stress incontinence, leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh, or engage in physical activity.

Kegel exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor over time — but they must be performed consistently in order to be continually effective. Our team can help ensure you’re doing the exercises correctly while also combining your therapy with medication or other treatments when needed.

Electrostimulation is another treatment that helps strengthen pelvic floor muscles by delivering tiny bursts of energy to the muscles. These energy bursts stimulate muscle contractions, which in turn strengthen muscles over time.

Vaginal pessary

A pessary is a small, removable device you insert in your vagina to help support your bladder and urethra. Pessaries are often used to treat stress incontinence, especially when pelvic floor weakness is a contributing factor. 

Your pessary is custom-fitted for you, and you are completely in charge of its use, inserting it and using it as part of your daily routine for less leakage and more confidence. Pessaries can be a good choice for any woman seeking immediate relief without turning to surgery.

State-of-the-art incontinence surgery

When conservative treatments don’t provide adequate long-term relief for your symptoms, we may recommend surgery to repair the area or provide support for a weakened or damaged pelvic floor. 

Urethral sling surgery

A urethral sling is like a tiny hammock designed to support your urethra, helping it function the way it’s supposed to. With a sling, your urethra remains closed during activities or actions that otherwise cause pressure and leakage — like physical exercise or even sneezing. Made of special surgical mesh, the sling won’t interfere with urination.

Bladder lift surgery

Also called bladder repair, this surgery focuses on addressing structural issues that cause or contribute to incontinence. Bladder lift surgery does what it implies — gently repositions your bladder to restore normal bladder function. 

Lift surgery is often recommended for women with pelvic organ prolapse, a condition that causes the bladder or other pelvic organs to “drop” or descend from their normal positions. As a result, the surgery can also improve comfort and enhance quality of life for women suffering from prolapse.

The right treatment for you

Incontinence may cause similar symptoms from one woman to the next, but the condition itself can vary markedly. Bottom line: What works well for one woman may not be the right choice for you. 

Dr. Roberts and his team work closely with every patient to find a solution that offers long-term relief, helping each woman lead a more confident, more comfortable life. If you have incontinence, we can help. To learn more, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at OB/GYN Associates of Conroe in Conroe, Texas, today.