 Urinary incontinence is the uncontrollable loss of urine from the bladder. First, your doctor will perform an evaluation to determine the cause of the incontinence. Exercises, prescription medicines, and surgery are the usual treatments for this condition. Doctors choose a particular therapy based on cause and the type of incontinence. Sometimes, bladder infections can cause sudden but temporary loss of bladder control. If you have a bladder infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Loss of bladder control for several weeks or longer can have various causes. Doctors separate this type of incontinence into three main types – urge, overflow, and stress. Oxybutynin (brand name Ditropan) and tolterodine (>Detrol) can help people with urge incontinence. Both medicines can reduce bladder muscle spasms and improve urine control. Pseudoephedrine (>Sudafed) may improve muscle control in people with stress incontinence. For women who have reached menopause, the doctor may consider estrogen replacement (>Premarin, >Menest) to improve pelvic muscle strength. Imipramine (>Tofranil), an antidepressant, has been helpful in urge or stress incontinence. It increases bladder volume and improves control of urine flow. For overflow incontinence caused by an enlarged prostate, tamsulosin (>Flomax) or terazosin (>Hytrin) may help to improve urinary flow. Sources:
Applied Therapeutics: The Clinical Use of Drugs. Applied Therapeutics, 1995.
Micromedex Healthcare Series. Micromedex Inc., 2000.
Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. McGraw-Hill Companies, 1998.
Mayo Clinic Family Health Book. William Morrow & Co., 1996.
Swartzberg JE, S Margen. The UC Berkeley Wellness Self-Care Handbook. Rebus Inc., 1998.
Urinary Incontinence in Adults: Acute and Chronic Management. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 1996.
This answer prepared 11/6/00.
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