A doctor can give you information about the best ways to locate and rehabilitate these muscles. Various devices are available to assist with the exercises, such as vaginal weights. Another approach uses biofeedback, which requires a trained therapist to help with the rehabilitation of pelvic muscles. In some cases, electronic stimulation can be used to directly stimulate pelvic muscles and nerves. Such exercises must be done regularly throughout one's life to achieve optimum results.
Medications are also available for people unable to control the problem by behavioral methods alone.
The anticholinergic drugs block nerve receptors in the bladder. Women report a reduction in the number of times they need to urinate, as well as a decrease in the volume of urine leakage. Unfortunately, the drugs also affect the salivary glands, causing dry mouth, a problem severe enough to cause some women to discontinue the medication. For those who are not adequately helped with medications and behavioral techniques, a new therapy called sacral neuromodulation is now an option. It involves the surgical implanting of a device similar to a heart pacemaker, which directs small repetitive electrical impulses at nerves controlling the bladder.