What treatments are available for UI?
It is important to screen for complicating factors, such as urinary tract infection, urinary retention (a possible sign of decreased bladder function), high urine output (a possible sign of an underlying medical problem) and blood in the urine (hematuria – a possible sign of bladder or kidney cancer) prior to initiating treatment. Treatment depends on the form of UI you have. For Urge UI, most patients respond best to bladder retraining exercises combined with medication, called anti-cholinergics, that serve to relax the bladder muscle. For patients who cannot tolerate these medications, or find they are ineffective, nerve stimulation devices, also known as neuromodulation, which may be either used in the office or implanted like a pacemaker, can be effective. A cautionary note: it may be harder in some instances to help a neurologically impaired patient to stay completely dry. For Stress UI, many patients with milder symptoms can respond well to biofeedback, wherein they learn to effe
