Stress Urinary IncontinenceOverview | Treatment Options OverviewWhat is Stress Urinary Incontinence? Stress urinary incontinence, or SUI, is the body's inability to prevent accidental leakage of urine when pressure is exerted on the abdomen. It can result from weakened muscles supporting the bladder or urethra. And it can seriously affect your life, making it difficult to do the things you love—or even the things we take for granted in everyday life, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or climbing the stairs, without getting wet. It's common. Over 13 million American women experience some sort of urine leakage. And SUI is the most common type. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Some people lose their ability to see without glasses. Others lose their ability to hear. Just like any other system in your body, the urinary tract can stop functioning optimally. And that's nothing to be ashamed of. It's not inevitable. People used to think SUI came with the territory of aging. But the truth is, it's a condition that affects both young women and old, and can be related to a number of factors, including pregnancy, vaginal childbirth, strenuous exercise, menopause, and gynecologic surgery. And unfortunately, ignoring it can't help and won't make it go away. It's treatable. SUI isn't a disease; it's a condition that can be successfully treated. And that's the good news. Treatment Options for Stress Urinary IncontinenceHow is stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treated? 85%-90% of all stress urinary incontinence can be successfully treated. That means that it is possible to regain your independence, and return to an active, healthy lifestyle. There are a variety of treatment options for SUI. Behavioral therapy helps retrain the bladder and sphincter muscles. Bulking therapy is an innovative, non-surgical procedure to implant a bulking agent—either natural collagen protein or another biocompatible substance—into the tissues surrounding the urethra/bladder junction to help reinforce the closure mechanism and prevent accidental urine leakage. Surgery helps rebuild the urinary system's architecture to restore normal bladder function. One of the most effective surgical treatments for SUI is the surgical implantation of a urethral sling. It involves placing a slender strip of material underneath the urethra to help support your natural tissues. It's minimally invasive, and is one of today's most successful procedures. In fact, hundreds of thousands of slings have been implanted worldwide. What causes stress urinary incontinence (SUI)? Stress urinary incontinence is a sign of an underlying condition often characterized by one or more of the following:
For women, these conditions may be influenced by a number of factors that can lead to incontinence, including:
In men, stress incontinence generally results from previous surgical procedures (such as a radical prostatectomy, the removal of a diseased prostate) or accidental trauma. Is SUI an inevitable part of the aging process? While SUI is common in older people, it is not a natural or inevitable part of the aging process. In fact, millions of older people naturally maintain their continence while millions more have been helped with successful procedures. Is incontinence a natural part of bearing children? Pregnancy and childbirth take a toll on a woman's body. The months of extra weight in the pelvis and the stretching and possible tearing of tissues during delivery have been known to damage structures that help support the bladder and maintain control of urine. Having babies may contribute to incontinence, but it doesn't mean you have to be incontinent. Today's treatments offer excellent success rates; and many women who started leaking after childbirth are dry today. Can my SUI be treated even if I plan to have more children? Absolutely. Minimally invasive bulking therapy has helped hundreds of thousands of women restore continence. And it doesn't preclude the possibility of having surgery at a later date. Am I too old to be treated for incontinence? You're never too old to receive medical attention for incontinence. The types of incontinence older people have, and their responses to treatment are quite similar to younger patients. How do I know if I'm incontinent? Only a trained specialist like a gynecologist, urologist or uro-gynecologist can diagnose SUI. However, if you can answer "Yes" to any of the following questions, you may be experiencing urinary incontinence. During a typical day, do you leak even small amounts of urine? Do you leak urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh or exercise? Do you often have such a strong urge to urinate that you experience leakage before you reach the toilet? Are you experiencing leakage after surgery? How can I find a doctor who treats incontinence? Your primary care physician can refer you to a gynecologist, uro-gynecologist or urologist who can help diagnose and treat urinary incontinence. Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Stress Urinary IncontinenceWhat type of incontinence do I have? What will happen if my incontinence is not treated? What treatment choices do I have? What is the likelihood that I'll be dry after treatment? How many treatments will I need? What type of anesthesia, if any, will I need for this procedure? What is the risk for complications and what types of complications are associated with this particular procedure? How much will my treatment(s) cost? Will I need to stay overnight in the hospital? How much time will I need to fully recover? Is there anything I won't be able to do after treatment, like sports? How many of these types of procedures have you completed? What's your success rate? Stress Urinary Incontinence GlossaryThe following terms will help you understand what your doctor tells you about your urinary incontinence, and your possible treatment.
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Dr. Neil Baum |
