Urinary Incontinence in Women

Urinary incontinence isn't an inevitable result of aging. Most women who have it can be helped or cured.

The best treatment depends on the cause of your incontinence and your personal preferences. Treatments include:

• Behavioral training, such as bladder training and timed urination. For more information, see Reference Other Treatment.
• Lifestyle changes and pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises. For more information, see Reference Home Treatment.
• Medicines. For more information, see Reference Medications.
• Medical devices. For more information, see Reference Other Treatment.
• Surgery. For more information, see Reference Surgery.

Behavioral training, exercises and lifestyle changes, and medicines are usually tried first. If the problem does not get better, your doctor may try another treatment or do more tests.

When there is more than one cause for incontinence, the most significant cause is treated first, followed by treatment for the secondary cause, if needed.

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