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If physical activity or movement causes unintentional urine leakage, you likely have stress urinary incontinence. At Mission City Urology in San Antonio, Texas, Arpan Satsangi, MD, PhD, provides compassionate care and cutting-edge treatments to help patients manage and overcome incontinence. Dr. Satsangi offers personalized solutions, from pelvic floor therapy to surgical choices, designed for long-term relief. Don’t let urinary leakage affect your confidence. Call Mission City Urology today or schedule a consultation online.
Stress Urinary Incontinence Q & A
What is stress urinary incontinence?
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a bladder control problem where you leak urine. Leaks occur during activities that put pressure on your bladder. These activities include:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Laughing
- Exercising
- Heavy lifting
Mission City Urology helps patients find relief from SUI with personalized treatment choices.
What causes stress urinary incontinence?
SUI happens when the muscles and tissues that support the bladder and urethra are weakened or damaged. This makes it harder to hold in urine when there’s pressure on your bladder. Common causes of stress urinary incontinence include:
- Childbirth
- Aging
- Prostate surgery
- Obesity
- Chronic coughing
Both men and women experience SUI, but it’s especially common in women after childbirth and menopause.
What symptoms does stress urinary incontinence cause?
The main symptom of SUI is leaking small amounts of urine when you do something physical, like laughing or running. Some people leak only a little, while others have more frequent episodes.
SUI isn’t dangerous, but it can be embarrassing. It might affect your confidence and restrict your activities.
How is stress urinary incontinence treated?
Many treatment choices are available for SUI, depending on how severe it is. Mild cases can improve with lifestyle changes, pelvic floor exercises (like Kegels), and/or physical therapy. Other treatments include:
- Estrogen replacement therapy for menopause
- Urethral inserts (plugs)
- Bulkamid® water-based gel urethral bulking injections
- Surgical slings to support the urethra
- Artificial urinary sphincter surgery for men
Mission City Urology offers the latest treatments for stress urinary incontinence. Treatments are also available for other forms of incontinence, including UroLift® or Rezūm® treatments for BPH and Axonics® and InterStim™ implants that regulate bladder nerve activity.
Can I prevent stress urinary incontinence?
Not all cases of stress urinary incontinence are preventable, but maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, treating chronic coughs, and practicing pelvic floor exercises reduce your risk. If you’ve had children or prostate surgery, ask your doctor about steps to protect your bladder health.
If you’re leaking urine regularly and it’s affecting your life, it’s time to talk to a specialist. Dr. Satsangi understands how personal this problem is. He listens carefully and works with you to find solutions that help you feel confident and in control again.
Call Mission City Urology today or book an appointment online for advanced solutions to stress urinary incontinence.