Solutions for Your Urinary Incontinence

If you regularly leak urine, it’s not something to ignore. Up to one-third of adults in the United States live with urinary incontinence, and it’s especially likely after pregnancy and menopause due to pelvic and hormonal changes. While it may be easy to consider urinary incontinence a “normal” part of life or aging, being common does not make it less worthy of addressing. Thankfully, appropriate treatment can go a long way.

At Melissa Grier, MD Women’s Healthcare in Pasadena, California, Dr. Grier, and her team offer the minimally invasive treatment, Viveve®, to relieve your symptoms and bring back your comfort. Take a few moments to learn more about urinary incontinence, including solutions to consider.

Types of urinary incontinence

While all forms of urinary incontinence cause some amount of bladder leakage, they vary in specifics. The five types include:

• Stress incontinence, in which coughing, exercising, laughing, or sneezing causes leakage 
• Urge incontinence, which brings on intense, sudden urges to urinate and involuntary bladder emptying
• Overflow incontinence, which causes constant or frequent dribbling
• Functional incontinence, in which an impairment, such as arthritis, keeps you from getting to the toilet in time
• Mixed incontinence, in which you experience symptoms of two other types, typically stress and urge incontinence

You can also experience temporary urinary incontinence, due to factors such as drinking large amounts of coffee or energy drinks or taking certain medications, like antihistamines or diuretics.

What to do about urinary incontinence

If you’ve noticed signs of any form of urinary incontinence, it’s important to schedule a comprehensive exam so that you can be properly diagnosed and treated. During your appointment, Dr. Grier may run a urine test, as well as a special test to measure your urine output. She may also ask you to keep a bladder diary for a period of time to track your symptoms.

Once you’ve been diagnosed with urinary incontinence, your treatment plan may include bladder training, fluid and dietary changes, pelvic floor exercises, medications, or a medical device. Surgery is typically reserved for severe cases that don’t respond to more conservative treatments.

Dr. Grier also provides the nonsurgical treatment Viveve, which treats urinary incontinence by tightening collagen fibers that have created laxity in your vaginal tissue. This gentle treatment uses radio frequency energy to stimulate healing and takes only 30 minutes in our office, without the need for numbing cream or anesthesia. And research has shown that its benefits can last for 12 months.

To learn more about urinary incontinence or to get the care you need, call our office or schedule an appointment with Dr. Grier through our online booking feature.