Incontinence is a condition wherein a patient has difficulty controlling the flow of urine. Sometimes patients experience bladder leakage when they laugh, cough, or sneeze. In other incontinence cases patients feel a sudden urge to urinate, then cannot do so successfully. We treat incontinence based on its cause. Many factors, such as BPH, weak muscles, or urinary infections, can be the cause of this problem. We utilize both surgical and non-surgical treatments for incontinence.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options
Most cases of incontinence can be treated without surgery. If the condition is caused by an enlarged prostate, known as BPH, we will prescribe medications to help shrink the prostate. Medications can also be used to control incontinence that is caused by an overactive bladder. Urinary infections are treated with antibiotics.
Incontinence can also be caused by weak muscles surrounding the urinary tract. This is common in both men and women. If this is the cause of your condition, we will teach you how to do pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles that have weakened. You should see improvement after using these exercises for a few months.
Surgical Options
Sometimes non-surgical techniques are ineffective in treating incontinence. This is often the case in patients who have weak urinary sphincters, which are the muscles around the neck of the bladder. To treat this condition, the surgeon will place an artificial urinary sphincter around the bladders neck. This allows the bladder to stay closed until the patient is ready to urinate.
Women often suffer from incontinence as a result of bearing children. A sling procedure is one option for women suffering from bladder control problems. This procedure involves taking tissue from the abdomen and using it to create a sling to hold the urethra and bladder in place. This procedure can also be done with an artificial sling rather than using abdominal tissue.
There are at least 200 procedures used to treat incontinence. For this reason, each patient will undergo a different course of treatment depending on the unique situation that the patient is facing. We understand that incontinence conditions are sometimes embarrassing, and at Naples Urology Associates, we will handle your case professionally and discreetly. If you are suffering from incontinence, we can help.
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