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Treatments for Urge Incontinence in Women

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

What is urgency incontinence? " пїЅ "Incontinence " пїЅ is the medical term for when a person leaks urine or loses control of his or her bladder. People with urgency incontinence feel a strong need or "urge " пїЅ to urinate all of a sudden. Often it is so strong that they cant make it to the bathroom in time. If you have these sudden urges but do not leak urine, you might have a condition called "overactive bladder. " пїЅ Urgency incontinence is also known as urge incontinence. пїЅ пїЅ

Urgency incontinence is common, especially in women. But there are treatments that can help. If you have urgency incontinence or overactive bladder, you don't have to "just live with it. " пїЅ пїЅ пїЅ

Is there anything I can do on my own for urgency incontinence? " пїЅ Yes. Here are some steps that can help reduce urine leaks or urges: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Cut down on any foods or drinks that make your symptoms worse. Alcohol, caffeine, spicy or acidic foods, or artificial sweeteners make some people urinate more often or cause sudden urges.
  • Try not to drink too much right before bed.
  • Prevent constipation " пїЅ Constipation is a common problem that makes it hard to have bowel movements. It can make urgency incontinence worse.

You can also try some things to help with bladder control: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Bladder retraining " пїЅ Bladder retraining helps your bladder hold more urine so you can urinate less often. During bladder retraining, you go to the bathroom at scheduled times. For example, you might decide to go every hour. Then you make yourself go every hour, even if you don't think you need to. If you need to go sooner, try to wait until the whole hour has passed. After you get used to waiting 1 hour, you can try waiting longer between bathroom visits. Over time, you might be able to "retrain " пїЅ your bladder to wait 3 or 4 hours between bathroom visits.
  • Relaxation can help manage the urge to go. When you get an urge, stand still or sit down. Take a deep breath, squeeze your pelvic muscles, and let the "wave " пїЅ of needing to go pass. Then walk slowly to the bathroom to urinate.
  • Pelvic muscle exercises " пїЅ Pelvic muscle exercises strengthen the muscles that control the flow of urine. These exercises can help, but people often do them wrong. Ask your doctor or nurse how to do them correctly.

How do doctors treat urgency incontinence in women? " пїЅ The main treatments include medicines to relax the bladder, and procedures to relax the bladder. These are discussed in more detail below. пїЅ пїЅ

Medicines to relax the bladder " пїЅ These can help get symptoms under control. Medicines include oxybutynin (brand name: Ditropan), tolterodine (brand name: Detrol), fesoterodine (brand name: Toviaz), solifenacin (brand name: VESIcare), and darifenacin (brand name: Enablex). They come in pills you take by mouth and patches or gels you put on your skin. пїЅ пїЅ

Medicines for urgency incontinence can cause side effects, including: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Very dry mouth
  • Constipation
  • Heartburn
  • Trouble thinking and remembering things
  • Blurry vision
  • Fast heart rate
  • Sleepiness

If you are older, ask your doctor if it is safe to take these medicines. If you have any trouble thinking or remembering things, some of these medicines could make these issues worse. пїЅ пїЅ

If you take medicine to help with urgency incontinence or overactive bladder, you might need to try several different medicines before you find a treatment that works for you. If medicines that relax your bladder do not work for you or cause too many side effects, talk to your doctor about other treatments. For some women who have vaginal dryness after menopause, estrogen creams can be an effective treatment. пїЅ пїЅ

Procedures to help relax the bladder " пїЅ If medicines don't help your symptoms or you can't take medicines, your doctor might suggest 1 of 2 procedures: пїЅ пїЅ

  • An injection (shot) of botulinum toxin (Botox) into the bladder to help it relax " пїЅ The injection needs to be given about once a year. These injections can cause trouble urinating in about 1 out of 4 women who get them.
  • Treatment with electrical nerve stimulation " пїЅ This is done with a device that goes under the skin, like a pacemaker. Electrical stimulation sends mild electrical signals to nerves that affect the bladder. The signals do not hurt. This treatment can reduce sudden urges or the need to urinate often.

How well do treatments for urgency incontinence in women work? " пїЅ That depends on the woman's symptoms and the cause of her urgency incontinence. For example, if another medical condition is causing the incontinence, treating that condition could help. пїЅ пїЅ

If you are being treated for urgency incontinence, you might need to combine treatments. For example, you might take medicine to help with symptoms of urgency incontinence and also do bladder retraining. It can take a while for treatment to work. Don't get discouraged if it takes several months or even longer for a treatment to work. пїЅ пїЅ

What will my life be like? " пїЅ Most women with urgency incontinence need some kind of treatment for a long time, or for life. Treatment for urgency incontinence in women can help symptoms, but does not cure the cause of the incontinence. пїЅ пїЅ

Even if treatment doesn't stop urgency incontinence completely, it can make life easier and help you feel a lot better. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 86014 Version 7.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

пїЅ пїЅ 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ

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пїЅ пїЅ 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ