Treatment Overview
Urinary incontinence isn't an inevitable result of aging. Most women who have it can be helped or cured.
The best treatment depends on the cause of your incontinence and your personal preferences. Treatments include:
Urinary incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine, affects an estimated 25 million Americans, mostly women. For most, incontinence is the result of problems controlling the bladder. For people with a type called functional incontinence, however, the problem lies in getting to and using the toilet when the need arises.
Read the Functional Incontinence article > >
- Behavioral training, such as bladder training and timed urination. For more information, see Other Treatment.
- Lifestyle changes and pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises. For more information, see Home Treatment.
- Medicines. For more information, see Medications.
- Medical devices. For more information, see Other Treatment.
- Surgery. For more information, see Surgery.
Behavioral training, exercises and lifestyle changes, and medicines are usually tried first. If the problem does not get better, your doctor may try another treatment or do more tests.
When there is more than one cause for incontinence, the most significant cause is treated first, followed by treatment for the secondary cause, if needed.
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