What Are the Treatments for Bladder Leakage?

Bladder leakage, also known as incontinence, occurs when urine leaks spontaneously or you can't control the urine function. Causes of bladder leakage can include weak bladder muscles, a blocked urethra, urinary tract infection, and nerve disorders. Bladder leakage is treatable.

Types

• Types of bladder leakage include stress incontinence that includes urine loss during physical activity; urge incontinence that involves urine loss an urgent need to urinate; and overflow incontinence that involves dribbling or urine.

Stopping

• Behavioral techniques such as scheduling trips to the toilet, reducing fluid intake, becoming more active and training yourself to hold your urine are used to stop bladder leakage.

Medicine

• Bladder leakage is treated with anticholinergics, topical estrogen and imipramine medicines. These medicines can include Detrol, Enablex and Tofranil.

Devices

• Treatment to prevent urine leakage in women includes use of a tampon-like, disposable urethral insert and a pessary, which is a stiff ring inserted into the vagina.

Interventional Therapy

• Bladder leakage can be treated with radiofrequency therapy, sacral nerve stimulation, and bulking material injections. These procedures use electric stimulation, collagen and other injections, and energy or heat to control the bladder.

Surgery

• Surgical treatment of bladder leakage includes implantation of an artificial urinary sphincter, sling procedures and bladder neck suspension. These procedures keep your sphincter and urethra closed to prevent urine leakage.