Incontinence

What causes urinary incontinence?

When you have urinary incontinence, you uncontrollably leak urine, whether it’s a tiny dribble or you empty the entire bladder. This problem develops when your bladder muscles are overactive, the pelvic floor muscles weaken, or the nerves that control the muscles fail to work properly.

The pelvic floor muscles include a group of muscles that support your bladder, rectum, uterus, vagina, and prostate. This group also includes the muscles that control urination and bowel movements.

What type of urinary incontinence might I develop?

You may have one of four types of urinary incontinence:

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI)

SUI develops when you have weak pelvic floor muscles. Any movement that increases abdominal pressure forces urine to leave the bladder and leak through the weakened muscles. Laughing, sneezing, lifting, and coughing often causes urine leakage if you have SUI.

Men can develop SUI, but this type most commonly affects women. Childbirth, pregnancy, and hormonal changes at menopause weaken the pelvic floor muscles.

Overactive bladder (urge incontinence)

When your bladder muscles suddenly contract, even though you don’t need to go to the bathroom, you have an overactive bladder. It is also called urge incontinence because the muscle contractions cause a sudden, strong urge to urinate that results in leaking. Men and women can both develop an overactive bladder.

Overflow incontinence

Overflow incontinence occurs when urine stays in your bladder even after you urinate. As more urine enters the bladder, some urine leaks out. Overflow incontinence that causes dribbling often affects men with prostate problems.

Mixed incontinence

You have this type of incontinence when you have SUI and an overactive bladder.

How is urinary incontinence treated?

In addition to evaluating your symptoms, Mission City Urology performs ultrasound imaging and urodynamic evaluations to accurately diagnose urinary incontinence. Urodynamic tests reveal information such as your urine flow rate and the amount of urine in your bladder after urinating.

Dr. Satsangi specializes in many treatments for urinary incontinence, including:

• Pelvic floor therapy
• Biofeedback
• Bladder training
• Medications
• Medical devices that block urine flow
• Peripheral tibial nerve stimulation
• Urethral bulking injections
• Botox® injections

Dr. Satsangi may recommend surgical procedures that strengthen or reinforce the muscles. For example, he has extensive experience performing a mini-sling procedure for stress incontinence. The mini-sling prevents leakage by supporting and strengthening the urethra.

When weakened pelvic floor muscles cause the bladder to fall out of place (called cystocele or pelvic organ prolapse), he performs no-mesh repair that holds the bladder in its normal position.

If you need help with urinary incontinence, call Mission City Urology or request an appointment online today.