An older woman performing yoga in a classroom of other people

Urinary Incontinence: Treatments

A woman riding her bicycle through a city park

It’s Time For a Change

You don’t have to jump, sneeze, or laugh with discretion.

You don’t have to feel trapped in a world defined by the nearest restroom.

You don’t have to live with the symptoms of urinary incontinence.

URINARY INCONTINENCE: TO SURGERY OR NOT TO SURGERY?

Depending on the severity, urinary incontinence can be treated several ways and you may have both surgical and non-surgical options. Before you go below the belt, talk with your doctor to determine which treatment is right for you.

Stress Incontinence Treatment Options

Non-Surgical Options
  • Pelvic Floor exercises (Kegels)
  • Physical therapy and biofeedback
  • Vaginal pessaries
Minimally Invasive Options
  • Tension free mid-urethral slings — a synthetic material that becomes integrated into the tissue around the urethra and forms a “hammock of support” under the urethra
  • Injectable bulking agents — gel-like materials that are used to bulk or fill out the tissue surrounding the urethra to increase resistance to urine leakage and provide additional support during physical activity
Surgical Options
  • Bladder neck suspensions — surgery that helps place a sagging bladder back into its normal position
  • Marshall Marchetti Krantz procedure (MMK) — surgery where the tissue around the urethra is lifted and stitched to the bone in the front part of the pelvis and to tissue behind the abdominal wall
  • Burch colposuspension — surgery that lifts the bladder neck to the strong ligaments on the pelvic bones using sutures

Urge Incontinence Treatment Options

Non-Surgical Options
  • Lifestyle changes like pelvic floor exercise and diet change
  • Physical therapy
  • Oral medications
Minimally Invasive Options
  • Botox™ injections
  • Tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS)
Surgical Options
  • Sacral nerve stimulation (SNS)

Mixed Incontinence Treatment Options

May involve treatment options for both stress and urge incontinence

  

Do unexpected leaks interfere with your day-to-day activities?

Watch a simple explanation of SUI and potential treatment options.

An older woman staring inquisitively at a laptop computer screen in her home

Still Have Questions?

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

See All FAQs
A smiling female physician consulting a smiling female patient

Ready to take back your life?

A definitive diagnosis helps shape the course of your treatment plan for urinary incontinence. Talk to your doctor to take back your life.

Find a Doctor

Boston Scientific is committed to bringing more hope, more health, and more life to women around the world. Learn more

Read Important information Here