Urinary incontinence (or bladder leakage) is often thought of as a side
effect of aging, but plenty of young men and women experience it as well.
Bladder leakage is not just a medical issue, it’s a lifestyle one,
too. It can take a toll on a person’s social activities, their emotional
state, and their everyday life. Some people find themselves searching
for the nearest bathroom everywhere they go or waking up frequently throughout
the night to urinate. Others struggle with leakage when they laugh, cough,
or move suddenly. Fortunately, relief is possible with a visit to an Ogden
Clinic urologist.
What causes urinary incontinence?
Studies show that many things are linked to incontinence; therefore a combination
of treatments may be necessary. Diabetes and obesity increase the risk
of urinary incontinence. Aging, prostate issues, and pregnancy also increase
the risk of developing it.
All cases of incontinence fall into three categories (or a combination of them):
Stress urinary incontinence occurs when weak pelvic muscles let urine escape. This is one of the most
common types of incontinence that causes leakage when we walk, lift, bend,
sneeze, or even laugh.
Overactive bladder, also called urgency, is a type of incontinence wherein people fear they
suddenly need to urinate when they aren’t near a bathroom.
Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder is not emptying well. One symptom of overflow
incontinence is frequently urinating a very small amount or “dribbling.”
Treatment for Incontinence
Incontinence is treatable, and in a number of different ways. Depending
on the type and severity of your incontinence, your urologist will discuss
your options. From conservative methods like strengthening the muscles
in the bladder, to medication and medical devices, to more aggressive
procedures like surgical intervention, our comprehensive evaluation and
treatment plan are designed specifically for you.
Urodynamics Diagnosis
Urodynamics are a diagnostic study used by our urologists to examine how
well the bladder, sphincters, and urethra are storing and releasing urine.
Urodynamics testing also determines if the bladder is having involuntary
contractions that cause urine leakage.
Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS)
Also known at PTNS is a minimally invasive form of neuromodulation used
to treat an overactive bladder. The treatment is a weekly outpatient visit
to the urologist for twelve weeks with monthly treatments thereafter.
Bladder Botox® (In-office Procedure)
Botox® is the brand name for botulinum toxin. The injectable medication
can relax the bladder muscle and ease incontinence symptoms such as urgency
to pass urine. Bladder Botox® treatment is used when the condition
does not respond to medication that is traditionally used to treat incontinence.
The procedure is generally well tolerated by men and women and needs to
be repeated every six to nine months.
InterStim®
The InterStim® Therapy System is a surgically implanted device used
to help reduce the number of incontinence accidents. The InterStim®
system has several components: a neurostimulator which delivers an electrical
pulse to the sacral nerve; an electrical lead that is implanted on a sacral
nerve, and a programmer that is used to control the electrical pulse delivered
by the neurostimulator. The neurostimulator and the lead are permanent
implants. The programmer is a handheld device that is not implanted. The
device will work effectively for three to five years.
Select providers are now using Telemedicine.
Visit
Telemedicine to see if your next visit can take place over video chat.
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