You may have given up your morning cup of coffee and limited acidic foods from your diet. You’re not lifting weights at the gym anymore and you may have stopped taking long walks around your neighborhood. Instead, you’re keeping a bladder diary and trying to retrain your bladder at certain times of the day. But none of these efforts seem to work for your bladder issues. Luckily, with the help of a physician you can still live your life with various treatment options.

What Can You Do?

Medical treatment for bladder issues depends on the type of urinary incontinence you have, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases . The first step to managing your incontinence is to schedule an appointment with your physician. He/she may recommend a variety of tests such as a urinalysis, post-void residual measurement and pelvic ultrasound. You may also be referred to a urologist, a medical professional who specializes in the kidneys and bladder.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

• Stress Incontinence

• Overactive Bladder

• Mixed Incontinence

• Overflow Incontinence

• Functional Incontinence

• Total Incontinence

• Bedwetting

What Are Your Treatment Options?

According to the Mayo Clinic, treatment for urinary incontinence depends on the type of incontinence you have, its severity and the underlying cause. A combination of treatments may be needed. If you are experiencing a medical condition that is impacting your symptoms, your physician will usually start by treating underlying conditions with the least invasive treatments first. If those do not work, more aggressive measures may need to be taken to address and manage symptoms.

Additional treatment options may include:

• Lifestyle Changes – eat nutritiously, maintain a healthy weight, stop smoking

• Bladder Retraining – keep a bladder diary, schedule restroom visits, delay urination

• Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises

• Medications – designed to help address bladder and incontinence issues

• Medical Devices – catheters, urinals, pessaries, inserts, absorbent diapers and pads

• Bulking Agents – materials such as collagen or silicone are injected around the uretha to provide additional support

• Biofeedback – when sensors are applied to the body to offer detailed information on the pelvic floor muscles

• Electrical Nerve Stimulation – small amounts of stimulation are delivered to the nerves and muscles of the pelvic floor and bladder to strengthen them

• Surgery – if other treatments are unsuccessful or unsuitable, surgery may be recommended

How Can You Cope with Bladder Issues?

Incontinence is much more common than many people think. While a combination of treatment options may be helpful, they may not always be a permanent cure. That is why it is important to see a healthcare professional to get the help you need to address your particular condition and live your best life possible.