Topic Overview
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence
is the accidental release of urine. It can happen when you
cough, laugh, sneeze, or jog. Or you may have a sudden need to go to the
bathroom but can't get there in time. Bladder control problems are very common,
especially among older adults. They usually do not cause major health problems,
but they can be embarrassing.
Incontinence can be a short-term
problem caused by a
urinary tract infection, a medicine, or constipation.
It gets better when you treat the problem that is causing it. But this topic
focuses on ongoing urinary incontinence.
There are two
main kinds of urinary incontinence. Some women have both.
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Stress incontinence occurs when you
sneeze, cough, laugh, jog, or do other things that put
pressure on your bladder. It is the most common type of bladder control problem
in women.
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Urge incontinence happens when you have a
strong need to urinate but can't reach the toilet in time. This can happen even
when your bladder is holding only a small amount of urine. Some women may have
no warning before they accidentally leak urine. Other women may leak urine when
they drink water or when they hear or touch running water. Overactive bladder
is a kind of urge incontinence. But not everyone with overactive bladder leaks
urine.
Mixed incontinence is a combination of different types of
bladder control problems, usually stress and urge incontinence. These problems
often occur together in older women.
What causes urinary incontinence?
Bladder control problems may
be caused by:
- Weak muscles in the lower urinary tract. See a picture of the
urinary tract.
- Problems or damage either in the urinary tract or in the nerves
that control urination.
See a picture of the
organs inside the pelvis.
Stress incontinence can be caused by
childbirth, weight gain, or other conditions that stretch the pelvic floor muscles. When these muscles cannot support your bladder properly, the bladder
drops down and pushes against the vagina. You cannot tighten the muscles that
close off the
urethra. So urine may leak because of the extra
pressure on the bladder when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or do other
activities.
Urge incontinence is caused by an overactive bladder
muscle that pushes urine out of the bladder. It may be caused by irritation of
the bladder, emotional stress, or brain conditions such as
Parkinson's disease or
stroke. Many times doctors don't know what causes it.
What are the symptoms?
The
main symptom of urinary incontinence is the accidental release of urine.
If you have stress incontinence, you may leak a small to medium
amount of urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or do similar
things.
If you have urge incontinence, you may feel a sudden urge
to urinate and the need to urinate often. With this type of bladder control
problem, you may leak a larger amount of urine that can soak your clothes or
run down your legs.
If you have mixed incontinence, you may have
symptoms of both problems.
How is urinary incontinence diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about what and
how much you drink. He or she will also ask how often and how much you urinate
and leak. It may help to keep track of these things using a bladder diary(What is a PDF document?) for 3 or 4 days before you
see your doctor.
Your doctor will examine you and may do some
simple tests to look for the cause of your bladder control problem. If your
doctor thinks it may be caused by more than one problem, you will likely have
more tests.
How is it treated?
Treatments are different for each person. They depend on the type of incontinence you have and how much it affects your life. After your doctor knows what has caused the incontinence, your treatment may include exercises, bladder training, medicines, a pessary, or a combination of these. Some women may need surgery.
There are also some things you can do at home. In many cases, these lifestyle changes can be enough to control incontinence.
- Cut back on caffeine drinks, such as coffee and tea. Also cut back on fizzy drinks like soda pop. And don't drink more than one alcohol drink a day.
- Eat foods high in fiber to help avoid constipation.
- Don't smoke. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
- Stay at a healthy weight.
- Try simple pelvic-floor exercises like Kegel exercises.
- Go to the bathroom at several set times each day, and wear clothes that you can remove easily. Make your path to the bathroom as clear and quick as you can.
- Keep track of your symptoms and any leaking of urine with a bladder diary(What is a PDF document?). This can help you and your doctor find the best treatment for you.
If you have symptoms of urinary incontinence, don't be embarrassed to tell your doctor. Most people with incontinence can be helped or cured.
How can you prevent urinary incontinence?
Strengthening your pelvic muscles with Kegel exercises may lower your
risk for incontinence.
If you smoke, think about quitting.
Quitting may make you cough less, which may help with incontinence.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Learning about urinary incontinence:
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Being diagnosed:
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Getting treatment:
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Ongoing concerns:
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Living with urinary incontinence:
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Cause
The causes of the most common types of
urinary incontinence are:
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Stress incontinence.
Stress incontinence
is caused by stretched pelvic
floor muscles, as from childbirth or weight gain. When these muscles no longer
support your bladder properly, the bladder drops downward and pushes against
the vagina, preventing tightening of the muscles that ordinarily close off the
urethra. Leakage can then occur when extra pressure is
exerted with coughing, sneezing, laughing, or other activities. A chronic cough from smoking can also make
stress incontinence worse.
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Urge incontinence. Urge incontinence results when the bladder muscle involuntarily
contracts. This causes a very strong urge to urinate. You leak urine if you can't get to the toilet in time.
Overactive bladder is a kind of urge incontinence.
But not everyone with overactive bladder leaks urine. For more information, see
the topic
Overactive Bladder.
It is common for a
woman to have mixed incontinence, usually a combination
of
stress incontinence and
urge incontinence.
Less common types of urinary incontinence have other causes. These types
include:
Symptoms
The main symptom of
urinary incontinence is a problem controlling
urination. The circumstances and type of problem affecting urination vary with
the cause.
Symptoms of stress incontinence
involve the involuntary release of urine, especially when coughing, sneezing,
or laughing. It is the most common type of urinary incontinence in women. It
usually results in a small to moderate amount of urine leaked.
Symptoms of urge incontinence include the need to
urinate frequently and a sudden, urgent, and uncontrollable need to urinate. It
can result in a moderate to large amount of urine leaked, although it often
occurs when the bladder contains only a small amount of urine.
It
is common for a woman to have mixed incontinence,
usually a combination of stress and urge incontinence.
To find out
what type of incontinence you may have, ask yourself the following
questions.
Stress incontinence
| Do you sometimes leak urine during exercise or
lifting? |
Yes |
No |
| Do you sometimes leak urine when you cough, laugh,
or sneeze? |
Yes |
No |
| Do you usually leak a small to moderate amount of
urine? |
Yes |
No |
Urge incontinence
| Do you have frequent, strong, sudden urges to
urinate? |
Yes |
No |
| Do you sometimes leak urine before you can get to
the toilet? |
Yes |
No |
| Do you sometimes feel the urge to urinate when you
hear water or put your hands in water? |
Yes |
No |
| Do you usually leak a moderate to large amount of
urine (enough so that it runs down your legs)? |
Yes |
No |
If you answered "Yes" to one or more
questions in the top table, you may have
stress incontinence. If you answered "Yes" to one or
more questions in the bottom table, you may have
urge incontinence. You may have mixed incontinence if
you answered "Yes" to one or more questions in each section.
What Happens
Urinary incontinence
that often appears suddenly and usually clears up when the
cause is treated is called temporary incontinence. For example, incontinence resulting from a urinary tract
infection will disappear when the infection is cured.
Long-term incontinence usually starts gradually and
slowly becomes worse. As incontinence gets worse, a woman may:
- Avoid going out in public because of embarrassment.
- Become less active.
- Have physical problems caused by frequent urine contact, such as
irritation of the groin area and more frequent
urinary tract infections.
Treating the cause of incontinence often gets rid of
or controls these problems.
What Increases Your Risk
Sometimes several things
combine to cause
urinary incontinence. For example, a woman may have
had multiple childbirths, be older, and have a severe cough because of
chronic bronchitis or smoking, all of which might
contribute to her incontinence problem.
Physical conditions that
make urinary incontinence more likely include:
Diseases and conditions that may result in urinary
incontinence include:
Medicines and foods that may make urinary incontinence worse include:
- Caffeinated and carbonated drinks, such as coffee, tea, and soda pop.
- Alcohol beverages.
- Prescription medicines that increase urine production (such as diuretics) or relax the bladder (such as anticholinergics and antidepressants).
- Smoking.
When To Call a Doctor
Call your doctor if:
- You have
urinary incontinence that begins suddenly (acute
incontinence). Acute incontinence is often caused by urinary tract problems or
medicines and can be easily corrected.
- The involuntary release of urine is enough of a problem that you
need to wear an absorbent pad, or if incontinence interferes with your life in
any way.
Do not be embarrassed to discuss urinary incontinence with
your doctor. Urinary incontinence is not an inevitable result of
aging. Most women with incontinence can be helped or cured.
Watchful Waiting
If you have urinary incontinence that develops
slowly, you may be able to control the problem yourself.
(For more information, see the Home Treatment section in this topic.) If home
treatment is not effective, or if incontinence interferes with your lifestyle,
ask your doctor about other treatments.
Who to See
Health professionals who can diagnose and treat
urinary incontinence include:
Your health professional may want you to see a doctor who
specializes in problems of the urinary tract (urologist) or
who specializes in treating older people (geriatrician).
If you need surgery, it is
important to find a
surgeon who is experienced in the types of surgical
procedures used to treat incontinence.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
Exams and Tests
To diagnose the cause of your
urinary incontinence, your doctor will ask about your
medical history and do a physical exam,
including a
pelvic exam. Your doctor may ask you to cough while
you are standing to check for stress incontinence. Also, a
urinalysis and
urine culture may be done to see if you have a
urinary tract infection (UTI).
An
accurate diagnosis is very important, because treatment based on an incorrect
diagnosis may not help your incontinence and could even make it worse.
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and habits, for example, how
often you need to urinate, when you leak urine, how much fluid and what kinds
of fluids you drink, and whether you have any other symptoms along with
incontinence. Your answers will provide clues about the cause of your
incontinence.
It may be easier for you to answer these questions if you keep a bladder diary(What is a PDF document?) for 3 or 4 days before you see your doctor.
View and print a
bladder diary(What is a PDF document?).
Other procedures that
may be done include:
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Bladder stress test and Bonney test. For the bladder
stress test, your doctor will insert fluid into your bladder and then check for
leaking after asking you to cough. The Bonney test is similar to the bladder
stress test except the bladder neck is lifted slightly with a finger or
instrument inserted into your vagina while the bladder stress is applied.
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Pad test. A pad test can show how much urine you are
passing and how often throughout the day. This is helpful when incontinence
cannot be triggered during an exam.
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Urinalysis and urine culture, which may be done to see if you have a urinary tract infection (UTI) or if there is blood or sugar in your urine.
Urodynamic testing
Urodynamic testing
is expensive. It is typically done only if surgery is being considered or if
treatment has not worked for you and you need to know more about the cause. It
provides a more advanced way to check bladder function. Urodynamic testing may
be done if the above tests do not give an answer to why you have leakage of
urine or your doctor suspects that you have mixed incontinence
with more than one cause. The actual tests done in urodynamic testing often
vary. They may include:
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Cystometry (cystometrography, uroflowmetry), which is
a series of tests to measure bladder pressure at different levels of fullness.
Cystometry tests include:
- Leak point pressure (LPP), which measures weakness in the
muscle that holds back urine (sphincter).
- Maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP), which measures
the pressure keeping the urethra closed naturally.
- Postvoid residual (PVR) measurements and
X-rays or
ultrasound. These are used to examine changes in the
position of the bladder and urethra during urination, coughing, or straining.
If the cause of incontinence is not identified by the
above tests, more extensive tests may be needed. The following tests are not
routinely done to diagnose urinary incontinence.
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Cystoscopy uses a scope to look inside the
urethra and the bladder for abnormalities.
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Voiding cystourethrogram is an X-ray that uses an
iodine-containing contrast liquid to show the shape of the lower urinary tract
(bladder and urethra). This may make visible any physical abnormalities of the
urinary tract that could be contributing to incontinence.
Treatment Overview
There are several possible
treatments for
urinary incontinence. The best treatment depends on
the cause of your incontinence and your personal preferences.
Key points
- Most of the time, incontinence can be cured or at least
managed.
- For
stress incontinence, many women get good results from
consistent use of Kegel exercises, timed urination training, lifestyle
changes, and/or medical devices such as pessaries. For hard-to-treat stress incontinence,
surgery can help.
- For
urge incontinence, learning to retrain the bladder is
often helpful. Medicines may also help, although they tend to have bothersome
side effects.
Exercises and lifestyle changes
Pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises can help women who have any type of urinary incontinence.1 These exercises,
which strengthen the pelvic muscles involved in urination, are especially
useful for stress incontinence. But they may also help
urge incontinence. Make sure you do these exercises
correctly and regularly to succeed with this
method.
Kegel exercises may be combined with
biofeedback techniques to help you know whether you
are tightening the right muscles. This can also be done by placing a finger in
your vagina so that you can feel the pelvic floor muscles contract. Also, to prevent
leakage when you feel a sneeze or cough coming, try a Kegel by tightening your
pelvic floor muscles. Crossing your legs may also help.
Losing
weight often helps stress incontinence.
Sometimes making lifestyle changes can help with urge incontinence. Try to identify any foods that might
irritate your bladder—including citrus fruits, chocolate, tomatoes, vinegars,
dairy products, aspartame, and spicy foods—and cut back on them. Also, avoid
alcohol and caffeine.
Behavioral methods
Three types of
behavioral methods are used to treat urinary
incontinence: bladder training, timed urination, and prompted voiding.
Bladder training (also called bladder retraining)
is used to treat urge incontinence. With bladder
training, you slowly increase how long you can wait before having to urinate by trying
to delay urination after you get the urge to go.
Timed urination can be used to treat both urge and stress incontinence. With timed urination, your doctor has you urinate on a schedule, even if you don't have to go.
Prompted voiding requires a
caregiver to prompt the person to urinate. This technique is used mostly for
people with a disability that gets in the way of using the bathroom on their
own (functional incontinence).
Medicines
If exercise and behavioral therapies are
not successful, your doctor might combine these treatments with medicines.
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Anticholinergic medicines relax the bladder and
increase bladder capacity. These
medicines are most frequently prescribed for urge
incontinence.
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Antidepressant medicines may also be used to treat
urge or stress incontinence. An antidepressant may be
used in combination with an anticholinergic medicine.
Medical devices
A
pessary is a rubber device that is inserted into the
vagina until it touches the cervix. The pessary presses through the vaginal
wall and supports the urethra. It also pinches the urethra closed to help
retain urine in the bladder and decrease stress
incontinence. Some women with stress incontinence use a pessary just during
activities that are likely to cause urine leakage, such as jogging. But many
pessaries can be worn all the time. If you use a pessary, watch for possible
vaginal and urinary tract infections. And see your doctor regularly. See the
Other Treatment section of this topic for information about other medical
devices.
Surgery
Discuss with your doctor which symptoms the
surgery is designed to treat. Other symptoms may remain after surgery. If you
have mixed incontinence, surgery may cure stress incontinence, but it may not
improve urge incontinence. It may even make urge incontinence worse. For more information, see the Surgery section of this topic.
What To Think About
Behavioral methods, exercises
and lifestyle changes, and medicines are usually tried first before more
invasive methods are tried to confirm the cause of incontinence. If the problem
gets better, the diagnosis is confirmed. If the problem does not get better,
your doctor may try another treatment or do more tests.
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Stress Incontinence: Should I Have Surgery?
Incontinence can have more than one cause (mixed incontinence). When this
is the case, the most significant cause is treated first, followed by treatment
for the secondary cause, if needed.
Home Treatment
If you have urinary incontinence, you can take some steps
on your own that may stop or reduce the problem.
- Set a schedule of urinating every 2 to 4 hours, regardless
of whether you feel the need.
- Talk with your doctor about all prescription and nonprescription
medicines you take, to see if any of them may be making your incontinence
worse.
- Use a bladder diary(What is a PDF document?) to keep track of your symptoms and any leaking of urine. Your diary can help you and your doctor find the best treatment for you.
- If you have trouble reaching the bathroom before you urinate,
consider making a clearer, quicker path to the bathroom and wearing clothes
that are easily removed (such as those with elastic waistbands or Velcro
closures). Or keep a bedpan close to your bed or chair.
- Reduce or eliminate caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, and some
carbonated drinks) from your diet.
- Avoid drinking alcohol in excess.
- Wear a tampon while doing activities such as jogging or dancing
to put a little pressure on your urethra and to temporarily slow or stop
leakage.
- Avoid drinking too much or too little fluid. Excessive liquids
can increase the need to urinate and increase incontinence. Too little fluid
can result in dehydration.
Additional steps may reduce or stop your urinary
incontinence. But these require more time to make a difference.
- Strengthen your
pelvic muscles by doing
pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises every day and by having
a regular exercise program.
- Try to lose some weight if you are overweight. Remember that
effective weight-loss programs depend on a combination of diet and exercise.
For more information, see the topics
Weight Management,
Fitness, and
Healthy Eating.
- Avoid constipation:
- Include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains in your diet each day. These foods are high in fiber.
- Drink plenty of fluids, enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water.
- Get some exercise every day. Try to do moderate activity at least 2½ hours a week. Or try to do vigorous activity at least 1¼ hours a week. It's fine to be active in blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout your day and week.
- Take a fiber supplement, such as Citrucel or Metamucil, every day if needed. Start with a small dose and very slowly increase the dose over a month or more.
- Schedule time each day for a bowel movement. Having a daily routine may help. Take your time and do not strain when having a bowel movement.
- If you smoke, quit. This may reduce coughing, which may reduce
your problem with incontinence. For more information, see the topic
Quitting Smoking.
Medications
Urinary incontinence
may be treated with medicines.
But in many cases treatment with
behavioral methods and Kegel exercises are tried before
medicines. These treatments, when combined with medicine, may help some women more than either treatment alone.
Medication Choices
For stress incontinence, medicine choices may
include:
Treatment for urge incontinence may include:
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Anticholinergic medicines, such as oxybutynin (for example, Ditropan or Oxytrol) and tolterodine (Detrol).
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Imipramine (Tofranil), an antidepressant
medicine that may be used to treat both urge and stress incontinence. It is
often used in combination with an anticholinergic medicine.
What To Think About
Medicine is often used in
combination with behavioral methods. For more information on behavioral
methods, see the Other Treatment section in this topic.
Surgery
There are several different kinds of
surgeries to correct
stress incontinence, which results when weakened
pelvic floor muscles allow the bladder neck and
urethra to drop. These surgeries seek to lift the
urethra and/or
bladder into the normal position. This makes sneezing,
coughing, and laughing less likely to make urine leak from the bladder.
Sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) has been used for urge incontinence that hasn't been helped by other treatments.
The decision to have
surgery must always be based on an accurate diagnosis, consideration of other
treatment possibilities, and realistic expectations for the surgery.
Surgery Choices
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Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) surgery. TVT surgery
is commonly used for stress incontinence. During this surgery, a mesh tape
is positioned under the urethra like a sling or a hammock to support it and
return it to its normal position. The surgeon inserts the tape through small
incisions in your vagina and pubic hair line. Another surgery called transobturator tape (TOT) surgery
is like TVT surgery.
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Retropubic suspension. The Burch colposuspension is the most common type of
retropubic suspension. Retropubic surgeries provide lift to the sagging bladder
neck and urethra by attaching their supporting tissues to the pubic bone or
tough ligaments.
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Urethral sling. The surgeon fashions a piece of
muscle, ligament, or tendon tissue or synthetic material into a sling that
lifts the urethra back into a normal position.
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Sacral nerve stimulation (SNS). In SNS, the doctor puts an electrical stimulator under your skin above your buttocks. This stimulator looks like a pacemaker. It is attached to electrodes that send pulses to a nerve in your lower back (sacrum). The sacral nerve plays a role in bladder storage and emptying.
What To Think About
Surgery works to cure stress incontinence better than any other treatment. If other treatments (like pelvic floor muscle exercises) haven't worked to control your incontinence, surgery may be your best option. What kind of surgery you have depends on your preference, your health, and your doctor's experience.
Surgery is done much less often for urge incontinence and the results are not as good.
Other Treatment
Changes in habits (behavioral
methods) and exercise are often used first to treat
urinary incontinence. This is because they do not involve
surgery, have no serious side effects, can be done at home, and do not limit
future treatment options. These methods often succeed in treating mild
to moderate incontinence.
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Acupuncture: Acupuncture has been studied for
improving
urge incontinence, with promising results. In one
study, four weekly acupuncture treatments greatly improved women's
urge incontinence, along with how much and how often they urinated.2
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Behavioral methods: These methods, which include
bladder training and timed voiding, are used to treat urge incontinence.
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Exercises: Pelvic floor, or Kegel, exercises
strengthen the pelvic muscles involved in urination and are used to treat
stress or urge incontinence.
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Electrical stimulation: Electrical stimulation uses a mild electrical current to affect bladder storage and emptying. It can be done by placing an electrode in the vagina or rectum. Or it can be done with a permanent device implanted under your skin above your buttocks. Electrical stimulation is sometimes used for severe urge incontinence or overactive bladder that is not helped with other treatments.
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Mechanical devices: Many devices can be used to control different kinds of incontinence. One example is a pessary. This is a rubber device that is inserted into the upper vagina to lift the
bladder and help control stress incontinence.
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Absorbent products: These include adult diapers,
plastic-coated underwear, pads, or panty liners that attach to underwear.
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Urethral bulking: Urethral bulking involves injecting
collagen or other bulking materials around the
urethra to control leaking.
Before trying other treatment options for urinary
incontinence, ask your doctor the following questions:
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Is behavioral or exercise therapy alone likely to restore continence? Mild to moderate cases of common types of
incontinence can be cured or greatly improved by these methods.
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How long should behavioral or exercise techniques be tried before surgery or other treatment methods should be considered?
Since techniques like Kegel exercises do not limit future treatment options
(and may even improve the odds of success for other treatments), it is best to
set a length of time after which the improvement can be evaluated.
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Can exercises or behavioral methods be used in combination with medicine if medicine treatment is recommended? It may
be possible to shorten medicine therapy or to reduce the amount of medicines
used if other methods of treatment are combined with medicine therapy.
Other Places To Get Help
Organizations
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American Geriatrics Society: The AGS Foundation for
Health and Aging
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| The Empire State Building |
| 350 Fifth Avenue |
| Suite 801 |
| New York, NY 10118 |
| Phone: |
(212) 755-6810 |
| Fax: |
(212) 832-8646 |
| Email: |
info@americangeriatrics.org |
| Web Address: |
www.healthinaging.org |
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|
The AGS Foundation for Health and Aging was started by
the American Geriatrics Society (AGS). The foundation works on behalf of older
adults in the areas of wellness and preventive care, self-responsibility and
independence, and connections to family and community.
This Web
site has stories about healthy aging, information on caring for elders at home,
and tips on winter safety, preparing for emergencies, and overcoming the
challenges to healthy aging. The site also has links to many other Internet
resources on aging.
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American Urogynecologic Society
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| 2025 M Street NW |
| Suite 800 |
| Washington, DC 20036 |
| Phone: |
(202) 367-1167 |
| Fax: |
(202) 367-2167 |
| Email: |
info@augs.org |
| Web Address: |
www.augs.org |
| |
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The American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) is the
premier society dedicated to research and education in urogynecology and in the
detection, prevention, and treatment of female lower urinary tract disorders
and pelvic floor disorders.
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National Association for Continence
(NAFC)
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| P.O. Box 1019 |
| Charleston, SC 29402-1019 |
| Phone: |
1-800-BLADDER (1-800-252-3337) |
| Web Address: |
www.nafc.org |
| |
|
NAFC is a nonprofit national organization with a mission
of consumer advocacy, education of the public, and information dissemination
through collaboration and networking for the benefit of those with urinary
incontinence. NAFC's booklet "Your Personal Guide to Bladder Health" can be
ordered on the NAFC Web site.
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National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information
Clearinghouse
|
| 3 Information Way |
| Bethesda, MD 20892-3580 |
| Phone: |
1-800-891-5390 |
| Fax: |
(703) 738-4929 |
| TDD: |
1-866-569-1162 |
| Email: |
nkudic@info.niddk.nih.gov |
| Web Address: |
http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov |
| |
|
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information
Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), a federal agency, is a service of the National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). NIDDK is part
of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. The clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the
kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to
their families, to health professionals, and to the public. NKUDIC answers
inquiries; develops, reviews, and distributes publications; and works closely
with professional and patient groups and government agencies to
coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases.
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National Kidney Foundation
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| 30 East 33rd Street |
| New York, NY 10016 |
| Phone: |
1-800-622-9010
(212) 889-2210 |
| Fax: |
(212) 689-9261 |
| Web Address: |
www.kidney.org |
| |
|
The National Kidney Foundation works to prevent kidney
and urinary tract diseases and help people affected by these conditions. Its
Web site has a lot of information about adult and child conditions. The site
has interactive tools, donor information, recipes for kidney disease patients,
and message boards for many kidney topics. Free materials, such as brochures
and newsletters, are available.
|
|
|
UrologyHealth.org, American Urological
Association
|
| 1000 Corporate Boulevard |
| Linthicum, MD 21090 |
| Phone: |
1-866-RING AUA (1-866-746-4282)
(410) 689-3700 |
| Fax: |
(410) 689-3800 |
| Email: |
auafoundation@auafoundation.org |
| Email: |
patienteducation@auafoundation.org |
| Web Address: |
www.urologyhealth.org |
| |
|
UrologyHealth.org is a Web site written by urologists
for patients. Visitors can find specific topics by using the "search"
option.
The Web site provides information about adult and
pediatric urologic topics, including kidney, bladder, and prostate conditions.
You can find a urologist, sign up for a free quarterly newsletter, or click on
the Urology Resource Center to find materials about urologic problems.
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References
Citations
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Dumoulin C, Hay-Smith J (2010). Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1).
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Emmons SL, Otto L (2005). Acupuncture for overactive bladder. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 106(1): 138–143.
Other Works Consulted
- Barber MD, et al. (2008). Transobturator tape compared
with tension-free vaginal tape for the treatment of stress urinary
incontinence. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 111(3):
611–621.
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Hartmann KE, et al. (2009). Treatment of overactive bladder in women. Evidence report/technology assessment No. 187. Available online: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/bladdertp.htm.
- Naumann M, et al. (2008). Assessment: Botulinum
neurotoxin in the treatment of autonomic disorders and pain (an evidence-based
review): Report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of
the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology, 70(19):
1707–1714.
- Shaikh S, et al. (2006). Mechanical devices for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3).
- Shamliyan TA, et al. (2008). Systematic review: Randomized, controlled trials of nonsurgical treatments for urinary incontinence in women. Annals of Internal Medicine, 148(6): 1–15.
- Sung VW, et al. (2007). Comparison of retropubic vs transobturator approach to midurethral slings: A systematic review. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 197(1): 3–11.
- Tanagho EA, et al. (2008). Urinary incontinence. In EA
Tanagho, JW McAninch, eds., Smith's General Urology,
17th ed., pp. 473–489. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical.
- Waetjen LE, et al. (2008). Factors associated with worsening and improving urinary incontinence across the menopausal transition. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 111(3): 667–677.
Credits
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By
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Healthwise Staff |
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Primary Medical Reviewer
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E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
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Specialist Medical Reviewer
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Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology |
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Last Revised
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September 13, 2010 |