Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence

Leaking urine is common — roughly one in three women and many men after prostate treatment — yet most people wait years before asking for help. The right treatment depends on the type of leakage:

• Stress incontinence — leaking with coughing, sneezing, lifting or exercise, from weakened urethral support or sphincter
• Urge incontinence — leaking with a sudden strong urge, from an overactive bladder muscle
• Mixed — a combination, which is very common

Treatment options

• Pelvic-floor physical therapy and behavioral strategies
• Medications and office-based therapies for urge incontinence
• Urethral bulking injections (such as Bulkamid®) and mid-urethral sling surgery for stress incontinence in women
• Male slings and the artificial urinary sphincter (AMS 800™) for men with leakage after prostate surgery — see male incontinence after prostate surgery

Dr. Sosenko's training included female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery as well as prosthetic urology, so evaluation and treatment stay under one roof.

You are not alone

• About 1 in 2 adult women experience urinary incontinence
• On average, women wait 6.5 years after symptoms begin before seeing a doctor
• Fewer than half of women with bladder leakage ever discuss it with their doctor

If you find yourself wearing liners "just in case," mapping out restrooms, limiting fluids, or crossing your legs before a sneeze, it may be time to explore your options.

Patient resources

• Stress urinary incontinence patient brochure (PDF) · en español
• Urinary incontinence FAQ (PDF) · en español

Statistics and downloadable materials provided by Boston Scientific.