Urinary Incontinence Treatment
Addressing Urinary Incontinence Discreetly
Becoming incontinent is stressful. You may have difficulty going about your daily life without having embarrassing symptoms. However, you don’t need to let urinary incontinence dictate your life. Schedule an appointment with The Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado, and we’ll work to find a treatment that’s effective for you. We’re a well-known women’s health center serving Fort Collins and Loveland, CO, and we’re happy to welcome new and existing patients. Learn more about urinary incontinence, then get in touch with us for treatment.
What Is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is a prevalent condition that leads to problems with controlling the bladder and leaking urine. While incontinence is typically associated with older people, the elderly aren’t the only populations at risk for this condition. Urinary incontinence can be a symptom of both pregnancy and menopause. If you’re struggling with incontinence for any reason, we encourage you to speak with the team at The Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado.
Types of Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is different for each patient who experiences it. Generally speaking, there are five common types of this condition. Read up on these varieties below to get a better sense of what you may be dealing with:
- Urge Incontinence: Some patients have sudden urinary urges. They feel an intense need to urinate without any warning and then experience an involuntary loss of urine. This type of incontinence is also associated with frequent urination. If you’re experiencing this form of the condition, you could have a more severe underlying condition.
- Stress Incontinence: Patients can become incontinent when undue pressure is put on the bladder. This pressure might come as the result of coughing, laughing, or vigorous movement.
- Functional Incontinence: This type of incontinence occurs when a patient cannot make it to the bathroom because of a physical or mental issue.
- Overflow Incontinence: Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder doesn’t empty completely. Patients with this variety might deal with frequent, minor leaks of urine.
- Mixed Incontinence: Some patients experience a combination of one or more of the above types of incontinence.
Recognize the Causes of Incontinence
Urinary incontinence can be caused by several different factors. Some foods and beverages may cause temporary incontinence, including alcohol, chocolate, and carbonated drinks. You may also want to stay away from citrus fruits, chili peppers, and caffeine to reduce your chances of temporary incontinence. Chronic or acute incontinence can also have other causes, such as:
- Urinary tract infections
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Menopause
- Aging
- Prostate cancer or tumors along the urinary tract
- Neurological disorders
How We Treat Urinary Incontinence
Incontinence can be addressed with three main approaches: medication, lifestyle changes, and surgery. Below, you’ll find a brief overview of each option.
Medication
Medication is perhaps the easiest way to find relief from urinary incontinence. There are several medications that can reduce leakage and improve bladder function. However, the variety of medications means you may have to try a few different ones before you find one that works well for you. We typically start patients off with a low dose, then gradually increase it to avoid adverse side effects as much as possible.
Lifestyle Changes
Sometimes urinary incontinence can be managed with simple lifestyle changes. Your doctor may recommend doing Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles or training your bladder to increase the time between urges to urinate. Other ways you may be able to alleviate incontinence include:
- Reducing caffeine intake
- Wearing pads to catch leakages
- Using the restroom before physical activities
- Avoiding strenuous physical activity altogether
- Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight
Surgery
If no other treatment has relieved your urinary incontinence, a surgical procedure may be your best bet. Your healthcare provider will evaluate your condition and recommend the procedure most likely to meet your needs. We may suggest injections, such as BOTOX®, to alleviate your symptoms, or we might opt for surgery. Surgeries that relieve urinary incontinence might implant devices that regulate the bladder.
Schedule Your Appointment
Don’t wait to schedule urinary incontinence treatment. The team at The Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado would be happy to explain your options for relieving your symptoms. We welcome patients from Fort Collins, Loveland, and the surrounding areas. Reach out to us today to make your first appointment.
