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Bladder Health

Treatments for urinary incontinence

Let us start by saying that in almost all cases, urinary incontinence can be helped. You do not have to learn to live with this condition. Your own personal treatment will depend on the type of bladder control problem you have. Some treatments are simple; others are more complicated. The simplest treatments for women include pelvic muscle exercises that strengthen the muscles near the urethra. These are called Kegel exercises and take only a few minutes a day. Bladder training, weight loss and reduction of foods with caffeine and alcohol in your diet may all help some types of incontinence as well.

Another level of treatment for muscle therapy may include electrical stimulation – or biofeedback -- to make the muscles stronger and tighter. Some women have problems identifying their pelvic muscles, and this prevents them from effectively performing Kegel exercises. Biofeedback is a tremendous help in these situations. During biofeedback, a computer is used to show you just what the pelvic muscles are doing so you know you are exercising the right muscles. Biofeedback is an important aid used to teach you how to gain better control over your muscle activities.

More complicated forms of treatment include medical treatments and surgeries. Certain drugs can tighten or strengthen urethral and pelvic floor muscles. Other medicines can calm overactive bladder muscles. There is the option of collagen injections as well: Collagen, a natural substance, is one of the body's building blocks. It can be injected into the tissue around your urethra to add bulk and keep your sphincter muscles tightly closed. One drawback to this treatment is that collagen breaks down over time, so you may need to have repeated injections. Certain devices may also be inserted into the urethra to control urine flow.

Some bladder control problems can be solved by surgery, depending on the cause of the problem. In most cases, the surgeon changes the position of the bladder and urethra. After the operation, the bladder muscles work better.