Incontinence Care
Incontinence is a common condition that can affect daily comfort, confidence, and quality of life. Whether you’re experiencing bladder leaks, strong urges to urinate, or trouble emptying your bladder, our urology team can help.
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Who We Help
Incontinence can affect anyone. You may benefit from evaluation if you experience:
- Bladder leakage when you cough, sneeze, or exercise
- A sudden, strong urge to urinate
- Frequent trips to the bathroom
- Difficulty emptying your bladder
- Leaking throughout the day or night
- Urgency that interrupts sleep, work, or daily life
Types of Incontinence
Stress Incontinence
Stress incontinence occurs when physical movement or pressure on the bladder causes urine leakage. This can happen during everyday activities such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, or exercising. It is commonly related to weakened pelvic floor muscles and is especially common after childbirth, surgery, or hormonal changes.
Common Symptoms
• Leakage when coughing, sneezing, or laughing
• Urine leakage during exercise or lifting
• Leakage with sudden movements
• Little to no warning before leakage
Common Causes
• Weak pelvic floor muscles
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Pelvic or prostate surgery
• Aging
• Hormonal changes
When to Seek Care
If leakage happens regularly during daily activities or limits your ability to stay active, an evaluation can help find the cause and guide treatment.
Treatment Options
Treatment may include pelvic floor therapy, lifestyle changes, or medical or procedural treatments based on how severe symptoms are. Our urology team develops a personalized plan to help improve bladder control and confidence.
Urge Incontinence (Overactive Bladder)
Urge incontinence causes sudden, strong urges to urinate that can lead to leakage before you reach the bathroom. These urges can happen unexpectedly and may be difficult to control, even when the bladder isn’t full. While common, it is highly treatable with the right care plan.
Common Symptoms
- A sudden “gotta go now” urge
- Frequent trips to the bathroom (eight or more times a day)
- Waking up at night to urinate
- Leakage on the way to the restroom
Common Causes
- Misfiring or overactive bladder nerves
- Aging
- Bladder irritation (caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods)
- Neurologic conditions
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
When to Seek Care
If urgency interrupts sleep, work, travel, or social life—or if medications haven’t helped—treatments like pelvic floor therapy, Botox, or sacral neuromodulation (Altaviva or InterStim) can provide relief.
Treatment Options
If urgency interrupts sleep, work, travel, or social life—or if medications haven’t helped—treatments like pelvic floor therapy, Botox, or bladder nerve stimulation such as Altaviva or InterStim can provide relief.
Mixed Incontinence
Mixed incontinence is a combination of stress incontinence and urge incontinence. People with mixed incontinence experience both sudden urges to urinate and leakage during physical activity or pressure on the bladder. Symptoms may vary day to day, making diagnosis and treatment especially important.
Common Symptoms
- Sudden, strong urges to urinate
- Leakage before reaching the bathroom
- Leakage with coughing, laughing, or exercise
- Frequent urination, including at night
Common Causes
- Weak pelvic floor muscles
- Overactive bladder nerves
- Aging
- Neurologic conditions
- Bladder irritation
When to Seek Care
If you experience more than one type of bladder leakage or symptoms that don’t improve with basic treatments, a urology evaluation can help find the cause and guide next steps.
Treatment Options
Treatment focuses on addressing both types of symptoms and may include pelvic floor therapy, medications, behavioral strategies, or advanced therapies such as Botox or bladder nerve stimulation when appropriate.
Overflow Incontinence
Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder does not empty fully, causing frequent dribbling or leakage. People may feel like they can’t completely empty their bladder or may not feel the urge to urinate at all. This type of incontinence is often linked to blockages or nerve-related conditions.
Common Symptoms
- Constant or frequent dribbling of urine
- Difficulty starting urination
- Weak urine stream
- Feeling that the bladder is never fully empty
Common Causes
- Enlarged prostate
- Bladder outlet blockage
- Nerve damage
- Diabetes
- Certain medications
When to Seek Care
If you notice ongoing leakage, difficulty urinating, or a feeling of incomplete emptying, it’s important to seek care to prevent bladder or kidney complications.
Treatment Options
Treatment focuses on improving bladder emptying and addressing the underlying cause. Options may include medications, catheter support, or procedural interventions based on individual needs.
Functional Incontinence
Functional incontinence happens when physical, thinking, or movement challenges make it hard to get to the bathroom in time. The bladder is usually working normally, but outside factors cause leakage.
Common Symptoms
- Urine leakage due to difficulty reaching the bathroom
- Accidents caused by mobility limitations
- Difficulty managing clothing or bathroom access
- Urinary accidents related to confusion or memory issues
Common Causes
- Limited mobility or balance issues
- Arthritis or joint pain
- Cognitive conditions
- Vision problems
- Environmental barriers
When to Seek Care
If physical or cognitive challenges are leading to frequent accidents, evaluation can help identify supportive strategies and improve daily comfort and independence.
Treatment Options
Treatment focuses on improving mobility, bathroom access, and daily support. This may include scheduling strategies, adaptive equipment, physical therapy, or caregiver support recommendations.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Many people find relief from incontinence with non-surgical treatment options. These approaches focus on improving bladder control, reducing leakage, and helping you manage symptoms in daily life.
Lifestyle Changes
Bladder training, diet and fluid guidance, and weight management support can help reduce bladder irritation and improve control.
Medication Management
Medications may help relax the bladder muscle or calm nerve signals that trigger frequent or urgent trips to the bathroom.
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
Specialized therapy helps retrain and strengthen pelvic floor muscles to improve bladder control, reduce leakage, and calm urinary urgency.
Procedures
Botox® Injection
A quick, in-clinic bladder injection that helps relax the bladder muscle and reduce sudden urges to urinate. Botox® can be a good option if oral medications haven’t provided enough relief and you prefer a non-implant treatment.
Lasts: 6–12 months
Procedure: Injection
Urethral Bulking Injection
This treatment helps the urethra close more tightly, reducing urine leakage during activities that put pressure on the bladder, such as coughing, laughing, or exercising.
Lasts: Months to years
Procedure: Injection
Bladder Nerve Stimulation
Bladder nerve stimulation uses gentle electrical signals to help improve communication between the bladder and the nerves that control it. This can reduce urgency, frequency, and leakage while improving bladder coordination. These procedures are minimally invasive, use local anesthesia, and are designed to provide long-term symptom relief.
InterStim™ Therapy
InterStim™ Therapy is an established bladder nerve stimulation treatment that helps restore normal communication between the bladder and the brain. By delivering gentle electrical pulses to the sacral nerves, InterStim™ can significantly reduce urinary urgency, frequency, and incontinence symptoms over the long term.
Common Questions
When should I see a Urologist?
You should see a urologist if you have ongoing problems with urination, such as leaks, strong urges to go, pain when urinating, blood in your urine, or frequent urinary tract infections. Urologists also treat kidney stones, prostate problems, and men’s reproductive health concerns.
What should I expect at my first urology appointment?
Your visit typically begins with a conversation about your symptoms, health history, and any medications or supplements you take. Your provider may ask questions about daily habits, past procedures, or family history to better understand your concerns.
If needed, a physical exam may be performed. Many visits also include simple testing, such as providing a urine sample, which helps your provider gather more information.
Depending on your situation, your provider may recommend additional tests, such as blood work or imaging, either during the visit or at a later time. Not every patient will need testing.
Before the visit ends, your provider will review what was discussed, explain any findings, and talk through next steps. This may include monitoring symptoms, scheduling follow-up care, or discussing treatment options. You’ll have time to ask questions and make sure you understand your care plan.
Do I need a referral to be seen by a Urologist?
In many cases, you can schedule a urology appointment without a referral. However, some insurance plans may require one. It’s a good idea to check with your insurance provider before your visit.
What should I bring to my urology appointment?
Bring a list of your current medications and supplements, your insurance information, and any relevant medical records if you have them. It may also be helpful to write down your symptoms or questions ahead of time so you can make the most of your visit.
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Our Urology team is here listen, answer your questions, and help you find the right treatment.