Incontenance/Overactive Bladder/Bedwetting
Urinary incontinence (UI) is the involuntary leakage of urine or loss of urinary control. UI occurs in men and women of every age and children, but is more common in mature adults. We have effective treatments specifically for women. Men generally experience frequent urination after middle-age, which may be related to an enlarged prostate. Just because a prostate is enlarged does not mean it is cancerous. A simple diagnostic test can determine if cancer is present. Children experience UI for reasons that are very different from adults and their UI may, in fact, be perfectly normal. But it is important to diagnose your child’s condition to determine if there is a medical abnormality that can be treated.
Symptoms may include urine leakage, frequent or painful urination, sudden or frequent urge to urinate, difficulty beginning to urinate, problems emptying the bladder and/or recurrent urinary tract infections.
UI can cause considerable emotional distress and have a significant, limiting impact on quality of life. However, it is important to understand that millions of Americans experience UI and there are excellent treatments that have proved very effective.
Institute urologists employ the most advanced diagnostic techniques to determine the underlying cause of incontinence. Some types of UI can be treated with medications or minimally invasive surgery, while other types of UI may require more extensive surgery. For women patients who do not respond to these approaches, we offer a scientifically advanced, high-tech treatment called “InterStim Therapy,” which involves implanting a pacemaker-like device to stimulate bladder-brain nerve communication.
If surgery is necessary, we work with you to restore urinary control through techniques that do not leave visible scars and are less invasive than laparoscopic surgery. Both surgical and InterStim treatments produce excellent long-term results.
Surgery is planned with a personalized combination of procedures to address each patient’s needs. If you or your child are experiencing urinary incontinence, please schedule a consultation with an Institute urologist.