The three patterns
Getting the type right is the whole game — the treatments are different, and the wrong one simply does not work.
- Stress incontinence: leaking on coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting — a support problem
- Urge incontinence: leaking with a sudden urge — an overactive bladder problem
- Mixed: both together, common after menopause
- Overflow: constant dribbling from a bladder that never empties, often from prostate obstruction
Treatment for women
Supervised pelvic floor muscle training is the foundation and, done properly for three months, resolves or markedly improves many cases of stress incontinence. Weight reduction helps measurably. Where leakage persists, a mid-urethral sling is a short, effective day-care operation. Vaginal oestrogen is added after menopause where appropriate.
Treatment for men
Leakage in men usually follows prostate surgery or is overflow from obstruction. Pelvic floor training started early recovers most post-prostatectomy leakage within months. For persistent, severe leakage, a male sling or artificial urinary sphincter restores control reliably.
Bring a three-day voiding diary to your first visit — when you drank, when you passed urine, when you leaked. It shortens the diagnosis considerably.
Urinary Incontinence Treatment — common questions
Is urine leakage normal after childbirth or with age?
Common, but not normal, and not something to accept. Most cases improve substantially with treatment.
Do pelvic floor exercises actually work?
Yes, when done correctly and consistently for at least three months. Most people who say they failed were not contracting the right muscles.
Is sling surgery safe?
Mid-urethral sling surgery has good long-term results and is performed as day care. Risks and alternatives are discussed fully before you decide.
How long does leakage last after prostate surgery?
Most men are dry within a few weeks to a few months. Pelvic floor exercises started before surgery speed this up.
Reviewed by Dr. Kinjal Banerjee, MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DNB (Urology) — Urologist, Renal Transplant & Robotic Surgeon, Faridabad. This page explains urinary incontinence treatment in general terms; your own treatment plan depends on your reports and examination.