Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence isn’t something you have to live with. MU Health Care offers personalized nonsurgical and surgical options to help you regain control of when you go.

Urinary incontinence, or a loss of bladder control, is more common than many think. It can happen with age, after childbirth or even as a side effect of surgery. It affects 50% of women between 25 and 50, but fewer than half seek treatment.

With our expert team and personalized care, MU Health Care can help you take that first step and regain control and confidence.

Urinary Incontinence Symptoms

There are different types of urinary incontinence, and your symptoms may vary.

Stress Incontinence: This is the most common type for women. It causes urine to leak when you cough, sneeze or exercise.
Urge Incontinence: Also known as overactive bladder, this type causes a sudden, strong need to urinate, often making it difficult to reach the bathroom in time.

It’s also possible to experience more than one type of urinary incontinence. When you meet with our team, we’ll help you understand what's going on and find the best treatment options for you.

When to Seek Care for Urinary Incontinence

There are some instances where urinary incontinence can warrant medical attention. Make an appointment to see your doctor right away if you:

Can’t hold your urine at all
Feel pain or stinging when urinating
Have difficulty urinating or emptying your bladder
Notice blood in your urine (hematuria)
Pee more than eight times a day
Urinate without realizing it

Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis at MU Health Care

During your first visit, we’ll review your medical history, discuss your concerns and do a pelvic exam.

Since pelvic floor issues can sometimes be linked to other health concerns, we may recommend additional steps to diagnose your condition.

These actions may include:

Urodynamics: A series of bladder tests can assess how your urinary tract works and determine what type of incontinence you may have.
Urinalysis: This test checks for infections or other substances in your urine.
Bladder diary: You’ll track your bladder function, urine volume and beverage intake over three days. This simple tool helps us tailor your treatment and better understand your symptoms.
Ultrasound: This imaging test helps examine many of the body's internal organs like the bladder, bowel and uterus.

Urinary Incontinence Treatment at MU Health Care

If you’re experiencing urinary incontinence, help is available. MU Health Care offers both nonsurgical and surgical treatments to help you feel better.

Nonsurgical Urinary Incontinence Treatment

For many, this is the best place to start. We offer effective treatments, including:

Pessaries: A small, flexible device placed in the vagina supports the uterus or vaginal walls. Our specialists will help you find your best fit.
Pelvic floor therapy: Our specialists design a personalized treatment plan to help you regain strength, control and confidence.
Bladder training: This can help you gradually hold urine for longer, reduce leaks and prevent sudden urges.
Bladder BOTOX®: These injections can help treat urge incontinence or overactive bladder.
Medications: We’ll discuss your options together.

Surgical Urinary Incontinence Treatment

If nonsurgical treatments no longer provide relief, surgery may be the next step.

We offer several options, including:

Minimally invasive procedures: These can be highly effective treatments for stress urinary incontinence.
Urethral bulking: This treatment injects a bulking agent to narrow the urethra and reduce leakage.
Sacral neuromodulation (SNM): This treatment uses mild electrical pulses to fix the communication between the brain and bladder to improve bladder function.