Urinary Incontinence and Treatment Methods

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine control and unintentional leakage of urine. It is commonly seen in advanced age and can negatively affect quality of life.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

• Stress Type: Urine leakage during coughing, sneezing, laughing, or heavy lifting.
• Urge Type: Unable to reach the toilet due to sudden urge to urinate.
• Mixed Type: Combination of both stress and urge type symptoms.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence

• Aging and hormonal changes
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Weakening of pelvic floor muscles
• Obesity
• Chronic cough and constipation
• Urinary infections, diabetes, neurological diseases

Non-Surgical Treatment Methods

• Pelvic floor exercises (Kegel)
• Lifestyle changes: Caffeine reduction, weight loss, fluid balance
• Bladder training
• Medication treatments: Antimuscarinics, beta-3 agonists
• Biofeedback and electrical stimulation

Surgical Treatment Methods

Most commonly applied surgical methods for stress-type urinary incontinence:

• TOT (Transobturator Tape)
• TVT (Tension-Free Vaginal Tape)

In both methods, the urethra is supported with synthetic tape. Success rate is around 80-90%.

Surgery Process

• Before: Blood tests, EKG, fasting, medication adjustment
• Surgery: Tape placement procedure under general anesthesia
• After: 1-day hospitalization, several days of rest, avoiding heavy activities for 4-6 weeks

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the surgery success rate? %80-90
• What are the risks? Infection, bleeding, rarely tape intolerance
• How long will it take to recover? 1-2 weeks light activity, full return after 6 weeks
• Will I have a lot of pain? Generally mild; controlled with simple pain relievers

Final Word

Urinary incontinence is a treatable condition. It’s nothing to be ashamed of; seeking solutions to improve quality of life is necessary. Consulting a specialist is the first step for appropriate treatment.