For some patients, behavioral therapy, which includes maintaining a strict schedule of avoiding and monitoring fluid intake, can reduce the occurrence of incontinence. Many patients use absorbent products such as pads, liners, undergarments and adult diapers to manage their problem.

For people who want to restore continence rather than simply manage it, there are treatment options that vary in invasiveness and effectiveness, depending on the cause and the severity of the incontinence.

Depending on the severity of your incontinence, you and your doctor can work together to find the best way to cope with your urinary incontinence.

It is important that you understand all the treatment options available to you, and that you share your thoughts and any concerns with your doctor.

• Behavior Therapies — For those who suffer from stress urinary incontinence, behavior therapy can be a treatment option. Techniques can teach you to control your bladder and sphincter muscles by:
  • Decreasing fluid intake
  • Prompting or scheduling voiding (used in women who can recognize some degree of bladder fullness)
• Pelvic muscle exercises — These exercises are commonly called Kegel exercises and are used to strengthen the weak muscles surrounding the bladder.
• Protective Undergarments — Products such as pads, undergarment liners and absorbent underwear are worn to absorb urine that has leaked from the bladder.
• Catheter — Some women require an indwelling catheter, which is left in place 24 hours a day to continually collect urine in an external drainage bag.
• External Devices — Some women with urinary incontinence use a pessary device, a stiff ring that is inserted into the vagina where it presses against the wall of the vagina and the urethra. The pressure helps reposition the urethra, preventing leakage.
• Bulking Injections — A bulk-producing agent, such as collagen, is injected to bulk up the urethral lining so the urethra can close more tightly.
• Medication — A number of medications can help bladder control problems due to urge incontinence. However, there are presently no medicines currently available to treat stress incontinence. If your doctor determines you have mixed (stress and urge) incontinence, you may find drug therapy helpful in addressing the urge component of your incontinence.
• Surgery — There are surgical options to treat urinary incontinence. These include:
  • Retropubic Suspensions — These surgical options treat hypermobility and often are referred to as the Burch procedure. They elevate and restore the urethra and bladder neck to a higher anatomical position.
  • Slings — A sling procedure is used to treat both hypermobility and ISD. The sling serves as support for the urethra during increased abdominal pressure.
    • Bone fixated slings treat incontinence by supporting the urethra with a graft material that is secured to the pubic bone,such as the AMS In-Fast Ultra.
    • Self-fixating slings treat incontinence by supporting the urethra. The sling is secured in place by friction and natural tissue ingrowth, rather than by sutures or screws. The AMS SPARC™, AMS Monarc™, AMS BioArc™ SP and AMS BioArc™ TO all are examples of self-fixating slings. The new AMS MiniArc™ features small, self-fixating tips that anchor the sling and provides short-term fixation. Mesh characteristics allow tissue fixation without suturing.