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Urinary Incontinence is a very common problem. Many women leak urine on occasion. In fact some estimate that 40-60% of women will have to deal with urinary incontinence at some point in their lives. For most, the leakage is mild. But for some, it can be severe. However, as any woman who has experienced an embarrassing accident knows, even relatively infrequent leakage can significantly affect her quality of life. Many women are told that this is a normal part of aging, however Dr. Stepp believes that women should not have to live with urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence can be categorized in two types: Overactive bladder or Stress Incontinence. Patients with overactive bladder will often have frequent urination or a strong urge to urinate that is difficult to defer and may lead to urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence refers to leakage of urine with increased pressure on the bladder such as with laughing, coughing, sneezing, running, or exercising. When patients have symptoms of both types, it is called mixed urinary incontinence. It is important to determine which of these types the patient has because the treatment will differ.
Overactive Bladder
Patients with overactive bladder may benefit from behavior modification, pelvic floor physical therapy, biofeedback, and exercises or medications. Dr. Stepp has a team of certified nurse practitioners specializing in incontinence and pelvic floor therapy. In difficult cases, minimally invasive procedures such as bladder botox injections or neuromodulation with Interstim therapy can help.
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