OVERVIEW
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. Stress incontinence happens due to physical activity or increases in abdominal pressure (i.e. coughing, laughing, lifting).
Symptoms
You may experience the following common symptoms:
- Leakage with cough, laugh, changes in position or physical activity.
Causes
Stress leakage is often due to weakness in the urinary sphincter muscle (a muscle important in preventing leakage) following prostate surgery. It can also be associated with radiation therapy and procedures on the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia (i.e. transurethral resection of the prostate or TURP).
Diagnosis/Evaluation
- What to know before your visit:
- During your visit, your doctor will ask you questions regarding your medical history and will perform an exam with focused attention to the abdomen and genitalia. The physician may ask to observe you during leakage of urine. Information regarding when you leak, pads used per day, how wet the pads are, any prior surgery or radiation is important for your visit
- Tests that may be performed during or after your visit:
- Urinalysis: this evaluates for any blood in the urine or infection
- Post-void residual: The physician will often ask you to void and then check to make sure you are emptying your bladder.
- Cystoscopy: This is a procedure performed in the office where the physician inserts a small scope into the penis to assess the urethra for any scar tissue and evaluate the urinary sphincter muscle.
- Urodynamics: This is a test where a small tube is inserted into the penis and another into the rectum to help measure the pressures in the bladder during urination.
Treatment
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT
- Behavioral changes: Stopping smoking, controlling asthma or COPD, weight loss and exercise all may contribute to improving your symptoms.
- Pelvic floor muscle therapy: Similar to other muscles in the body, these are specific exercises targeting the pelvic muscles that may strengthen the support around the bladder.
- Penile clamp: This is a device placed on the penis to prevent the leakage of urine and decrease the number of pads and diapers utilized. It is a non-surgical method that is offered to patients that do not want to undergo surgical repair.
- Condom catheter: This is a device placed on the penis that will not prevent leakage, but will collect the urine that leaks to prevent soiling of clothes or undergarments.
SURGICAL TREATMENTS
- Male Sling: A minimally invasive procedure involving the placement of a mesh sling to support the urethra, used for mild to moderate leakage.
- Artificial Urinary Sphincter: A procedure involving placement of a prosthetic cuff around the urethra to help compress the urethra, used for leakage of all levels.
Schedule an appointment with a MidLantic Urology physician near you today!