Urinary Incontinence Part 4 of 4

Treatment Options for Stress Urinary Incontinence  

  There are several treatment options for Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) including surgical and non-surgical solutions.  Depending on the severity of your incontinence and lifestyle needs, your physician will work with you to determine the best solution.

Non surgical solutions include:  absorbent pads, diapers, pessaries, other special devices,  urethral implants, and Kegel exercises. 

Kegel exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that help support the urethra and bladder during activity.  Exercising these muscles improves the tone and strength of the muscles to help close the urethra when coughing or laughing.  There are many Kegel exercises regimens, but all have one thing in common they must be done on a regular basis and indefinitely for the patient to benefit.

 Pessaries are simple plastic shapes, worn in the vagina.  A properly sized pessary can be used for incontinence to provide support beneath the urethra.  This support is needed in most stress urinary incontinence (SUI) situations.                                   

Special devices such as  urethral plugs and other devices may be available when the above strategies are unsuccessful. 

A urethral implant is an  injection into the urethra of sterilized collagen or micro-beads is directed by a telescope-like device (urethroscope) to decrease the size of the open urethra. This helps assist in the closing of the urethra during coughing or straining.  Unfortunately, more than one injection is usual.

Surgical operations are numerous to treat SUI.  

Any surgery for SUI is intended to restore support of the front vaginal wall immediately beneath the urethra. This enhances compression of the urethra against the vaginal wall. The Burch, MMK, sling, and TVT (tension-free vaginal tape) all use sutures and graft material (natural or synthetic) to provide positive outcomes as high as 95%.  These must be carefully selected for the specific type of SUI.   Your physician will discuss the best procedure for your specific condition.

Dr. Guillermo Rowe offers urinary incontinence studies in office to help determine the type and severity of incontinence.  He is also proud to offer surgical and non-surgical treatments for incontinence. Appointments are available. Contact the office at 713-795-4800. 

URINARY INCONTINENCE 4-Part Series by: Dr. Guillermo Rowe

Part I

Involuntary loss of urine is reportedly experienced by upwards of 95% of women in their reproductive and post-menopausal years.  This, however, does not mean that this overwhelming majority has urinary incontinence. To qualify as urinary incontinence (UI), the involuntary loss of urine must have a negative impact on the quality of the individual’s life, particularly for hygienic and/or social standpoints.  As such, the only person who can ultimately determine the presence of UI is the woman herself.

If you or someone you know is affected by loss of bladder control, you are not alone.  An estimated 15-20 million people in the United States have bladder control problems. This condition affects men and women, although it is nearly twice as common in women. The prevalence of this condition does increase with age. Fifteen to 30 percent of adults greater than 60 years of age have UI. However, this condition should not be considered a normal result of aging.

Urinary incontinence is often caused by specific changes in body function due to related or unrelated diseases and/or usage of medications that affect function of the urinary tract (e.g., diuretics or “water pills,” anti-hypertensives or “blood pressure pills”).  More often than not, UI is more of an annoyance than a sign of a life-threatening condition.  Despite the high prevalence, most people with UI are reluctant to seek help.  They might be embarrassed to acknowledge that they have a problem, even to themselves.  Or, they might have broached the issue with family members, acquaintances, and/or friends who were discouraging or suggested that no truly useful remedies exist.  Thus, many sufferers resort to dealing with the progressively worsening leakage by using the many absorbent products available, including pads and/or diapers.  This resignation often results in emotional and psychological vulnerability, including depression and social isolation. 

There is absolutely no reason for this to happen.  The good news is that 80-90% of cases can be treated successfully.  Although a complete cure may not be attainable in all cases, substantial improvement can be expected in the vast majority.  So, if you or someone you know suffers from this condition, be PROACTIVE.  Get evaluated and review treatment options appropriate to YOUR UI.  The more you know, the more confident you will be in choosing the direction of treatment. 

Below, you will find a significant amount of information on the more common causes of female urinary incontinence and associated pelvic organ prolapse (POP) conditions, including causes/predisposing factors, diagnostic evaluation, treatment options and suggestions for obtaining further information. 

Dr. Guillermo Rowe offers urinary incontinence studies in office to help determine the type and severity of incontinence.  He is also proud to offer surgical and non-surgical treatments for incontinence.  Appointments are available. Contact the office at 713-795-4800.