Urge Incontinence Treatment in Lake Charles, LA

Board-certified urologist, Dr. Siddiq and the staff at Advanced Urology are committed to providing the best-in-class urology care to patients in Southwest Louisiana and beyond. Dr. Siddiq will help determine if you are suffering from urge incontinence and discover the best treatment option for you. For more information, please contact our offices at (337) 480-7499 and request an appointment today!

What is Urge Incontinence?

There are several different types of urinary incontinence. Urge incontinence is unique as it is a sudden and intense need to urinate that is soon followed by an unwanted contraction of the bladder, which causes an involuntary loss of urine.

Urge incontinence is also referred to as:

• Bladder spasms
• Overactive bladder
• Spasmodic bladder
• Detrusor instability
• Irritable bladder

It is important to remember that urge incontinence is not a disease, but is actually a symptom of another medical condition, physical issues, or lifestyle habits. The occasional, minor leaks of urine caused by urge incontinence are more likely to occur in women and older adults.

Causes of Urge Incontinence

A few different types of medical conditions that may be causing urge incontinence to occur include:

• A bladder infection
• Pregnancy or childbirth
• An enlarged prostate
• Menopause
• Prostate cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Neurological disorders
• Bladder or kidney stones
• An obstruction near the opening of the bladder

What Are The Symptoms of Urge Incontinence?

Leaking When You Move: Stress Incontinence

If you leak urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or lift something heavy, it’s called stress incontinence. The pressure on your bladder during these activities can cause this type of leakage.

Suddenly Needing to Go: Urge Incontinence

With urge incontinence, you feel a strong, sudden urge to urinate, and sometimes you can’t control the leakage. You might need to go frequently, even during the night. It can be caused by various things, from a simple infection to more serious issues like neurological disorders or diabetes.

Constant Dribbling: Overflow Incontinence

Overflow incontinence involves frequent or constant dribbling of urine because your bladder doesn’t empty. This can lead to ongoing leakage.

Difficulty Getting to the Toilet: Functional Incontinence

Functional incontinence occurs when physical or mental challenges make it hard for you to reach the toilet in time. For example, if you have severe arthritis and can’t unbutton your pants quickly enough, this might be a challenge.

Combination of Leaking: Mixed Incontinence

If you experience more than one type of urinary incontinence, it’s called mixed incontinence. This often involves includes stress incontinence (leaking with movement) and urge incontinence (sudden strong urges).

Treatment for Urge Incontinence in Southwest Louisiana

Typically, if an individual’s urge incontinence is minor and manageable during their day-to-day life, there is no real reason to seek further treatment. However, if you are finding it difficult to perform everyday activities due to your urge incontinence, then it may be time to consult with a urology specialist.

Your doctor is likely to first try different exercises and dietary changes in order to avoid a more invasive treatment method, but if these prove to be ineffective in relieving your urge incontinence symptoms then decisions regarding more serious options may have to be made. Common medical treatments for urge incontinence include:

• Collagen implants
• Nerve stimulators
• An at-home catheter