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Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence affects both men and women. Everyone tends to believe that incontinence is a natural effect of aging that they must learn to live with, but this is not the case. Let our experts at SouthWest Urology debunk the myth. Don’t put up with urinary incontinence!

Urinary incontinence occurs when you lose bladder control and involuntarily leak urine, whether you release a small amount or empty your bladder. Women frequently develop stress incontinence because of pregnancy, childbirth, and hormone changes at menopause weaken their pelvic floor muscles. In most male cases, urinary incontinence develops due to weak pelvic floor muscles or when the nerves that control the bladder fail to function normally. You can also develop transient urinary incontinence from a urinary tract infection or when caffeine, alcohol, or medications result in increased urine production.

The 4 Types of Urinary Incontinence:

  • Stress incontinence – occurs when your stomach muscles place pressure on the bladder. Activities such as laughing, sneezing, coughing, lifting, and jogging can exert enough pressure to force sudden urine leakage. Men may develop stress incontinence following prostate surgery.
  • Urge incontinence/Overactive Bladder – leads to urine leakage when you have a sudden urge to urinate that’s so strong it’s hard to reach the bathroom before you have an accident.
  • Functional incontinence – occurs when physical disability, cognitive decline, communication problems, or external obstacles prevent you from reaching the bathroom before accidental leakage.
  • Overflow incontinence – typically causes constant dribbling along with frequent urination.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Incontinence?

At SouthWest Urology, we offer advanced diagnostic capabilities to accurately determine the cause and severity of your incontinence, including:

  • Urodynamic studies
  • UroCuff®
  • High-resolution ultrasonography
  • Video cystoscopy

Urodynamic studies include at least seven different tests that provide information about issues such as your bladder pressure, urine flow rate, the amount of urine left in your bladder, and if you can easily start and stop urinating. This advanced testing can be done in our offices!

Once you have a urinary incontinence diagnosis, SouthWest Urology can offer multiple treatment options including medications, surgical and non-surgical procedures:

  • Bladder training
  • Medications
  • Biofeedback
  • Pelvic floor therapy
  • Medical devices that block urine flow
  • Peripheral tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS)
  • Urethral bulking injections
  • Intravesical Botox® injections
  • ThermiVa® for women
  • Interstim®
  • Mini sling procedure
  • Urethral slings
  • Artificial urinary sphincters

Why Choose Us?

  • Nine highly trained, collaborative urological specialists all taking new patients
  • Three locations across the northern Ohio region
  • Consultation appointments scheduled within 5-7 days of referral
  • One-stop office for a wide range of urological conditions for both males and females
  • In-office lab testing and imaging
  • In-office medication dispensary
  • Comprehensive cancer care including kidney, ureter, bladder, prostate, and testicular cancers
  • Clinical navigation for BPH, Overactive Bladder and Prostate Cancer
  • Clinical Trials
  • We accept most insurance plans including Medicare, Medicaid, and VA