But, in most cases, with your doctor's care, simple nonsurgical treatments can improve or completely eliminate symptoms. One of the most common types of incontinence is called stress incontinence. Stress incontinence is fairly common in young women and is most prevalent in those who have had one or more children. Another type of incontinence, called urge incontinence, occurs when the bladder contracts involuntarily.
Incontinence affects women twice as often as men.
Other factors that may contribute to incontinence in men and women are spinal cord injuries, neurologic disease, diabetes, smoking and being overweight. If you have symptoms of incontinence, talk to your gynecologist or family doctor or visit Lutheran General Hospital's Comprehensive Continence Center. The center offers a full range of nonsurgical treatments, including behavior or diet modification, biofeedback techniques, pelvic floor stimulation and medications. However, if the patient isn't completely satisfied with the results of his or her initial treatment, more aggressive therapies, including the latest in surgical treatments, can be considered. If you suffer from urinary incontinence, remember that you're not alone.