Proudly Part of Privia Health
Urinary Incontinence Near Richmond, VA
Restore your confidence and take control with specialized care for managing urinary incontinence.
What is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence refers to the inability to control the bladder, resulting in accidental urine leakage. This can vary from minor leaks when coughing, sneezing, or laughing, to sudden, intense urges to urinate that are hard to manage. Although it occurs more frequently in women due to factors like pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause, it is not a standard aspect of aging and can often be effectively managed with appropriate treatment.
Symptoms of Urinary Incontinence
Common indications of urinary incontinence can include:
- Leaking urine when coughing, sneezing, or laughing
- Sudden, strong urges to urinate
- Frequent urination throughout the day
- Waking up multiple times at night to urinate
- Inability to reach the bathroom in time
- Feeling like the bladder is never fully empty
- Unintentional urine leakage during physical activity
- Constant dribbling due to incomplete bladder emptying
- Increased urgency after drinking even small amounts of liquid
- Urine loss triggered by stress or pressure on the bladder
Treatment for Urinary Incontinence
At The Center for Advanced Gynecology, we provide a variety of treatment options. Whether your symptoms are minor or greatly affecting your everyday activities, our team offers personalized solutions designed to help you restore control and confidence in your daily life.
Lifestyle and Behavioral Modifications
- Bladder training: Gradually increasing the time between bathroom visits to improve bladder control
- Pelvic floor exercises: Strengthening the muscles that support bladder function and help reduce leakage
- Dietary adjustments: Limiting caffeine, alcohol, and acidic foods that may irritate the bladder
- Fluid management: Controlling fluid intake to prevent excessive urgency or frequent nighttime urination
Medications
Some medications are designed to calm bladder spasms, relax the bladder muscles, and decrease urgency-related urine leakage. Your provider will assess whether these medications are appropriate for your particular type of incontinence and guide you on the best approach.
Minimally Invasive Procedures
- Botox injections: Works to relax an overactive bladder, helping to decrease urgency and frequency, with effects typically lasting three to six months per treatment.
- Pessary device: A small, removable apparatus placed in the vagina to provide support to the bladder and minimize leakage.
- Nerve stimulation therapy: Employs mild electrical impulses to help regulate bladder function and improve control.
Surgical Options
If other treatments do not provide sufficient relief, surgical options may be considered:
- Urethral bulking: Injecting a non-absorbable material into the tissues around the urethra to help it stay closed and reduce urine leakage.
- Bladder sling procedure: Provides support to the urethra to alleviate stress incontinence.
- Bladder neck suspension: Offers additional reinforcement for the bladder and urethra.
- Artificial urinary sphincter: A device implanted to regulate urine flow in severe cases.
Your provider will collaborate with you to create a customized treatment plan that addresses your symptoms and fits your lifestyle.
Who Needs Treatment in Richmond, VA?
You may be a candidate for urinary incontinence treatment in Richmond, VA if you are experiencing:
- Experiencing frequent urine leakage during daily activities
- Waking up multiple times at night to urinate
- Feeling a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate
- Avoiding exercise or social activities due to bladder concerns
- Using pads or protective liners to manage unexpected leaks
- Noticing worsening bladder control after childbirth or menopause
- Struggling to fully empty your bladder
- Experiencing urine loss when coughing, laughing, or sneezing
- Feeling like your bladder is never fully empty
- Concerned about the impact of incontinence on your quality of life
What are the Risks?
Although treatments for urinary incontinence are typically safe, some medications may lead to side effects such as dry mouth or constipation, and certain procedures carry a minor risk of infection or difficulty emptying the bladder. Your provider will review your medical history carefully to select the approach that is both safe and effective for your individual situation.
What to Expect During Your Visit
If you are dealing with urinary incontinence, your provider will begin by discussing your symptoms, medical history, and how the condition affects your everyday activities. They will outline the available treatment options and answer any questions before designing a personalized management plan tailored to your needs.
During your initial appointment, a pelvic exam may be performed to evaluate bladder function and identify any underlying conditions. Your provider might also recommend additional tests, such as urine analysis, bladder function studies, or an ultrasound, to gain a clearer understanding of the cause of your symptoms.
After starting your treatment plan, improvements should become noticeable over time. Lifestyle changes and pelvic floor exercises can gradually strengthen control, while medications or minimally invasive procedures may provide more immediate relief. Regular follow-up visits ensure your progress is monitored, adjustments are made as needed, and you remain on track toward better bladder function and overall comfort.
Why Choose The Center For Advanced Gynecology
The Center for Advanced Gynecology, founded in 2018, is committed to promoting your health through expert care across a variety of gynecological specialties, with a particular emphasis on advanced surgical techniques whenever surgery is necessary.
Our team offers focused expertise in non-surgical management of chronic pelvic pain, painful intercourse, pudendal neuralgia, and discomfort affecting the vaginal, vulvar, and bladder regions.
From the outset, we recognized the importance of providing more than specialized treatments alone. Our practice has expanded to address a broad range of routine gynecologic needs, including cancer screening, Pap smears, menopausal care, evaluation and management of hormonal imbalances, hormone replacement therapy, breast health, contraceptive services, urinary incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. By combining advanced clinical knowledge with compassionate patient care, we aim to deliver comprehensive support for both complex and everyday gynecologic health concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Urinary incontinence can occur for a variety of reasons, including weakened pelvic floor muscles, nerve damage, or underlying medical conditions. Life factors such as pregnancy, weight gain, menopause, and aging may also contribute to unintentional urine leakage. Your provider will evaluate your specific situation in Richmond, VA and recommend the most appropriate treatment options.
Stress urinary incontinence happens when pressure on the bladder, such as during coughing, sneezing, or physical activity, causes urine to leak. Urge urinary incontinence, also called overactive bladder, occurs when there is a sudden, strong need to urinate that may make it difficult to reach the bathroom in time. Some individuals experience mixed incontinence, which includes features of both stress and urge incontinence.
Yes, many cases of urinary incontinence can be effectively managed without surgery. Techniques such as pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercises, lifestyle modifications, and bladder training can improve bladder control. Depending on the type and severity, medications or minimally invasive procedures may also be recommended.
A urinary tract infection can temporarily affect bladder control, causing increased urgency, frequent urination, and episodes of urine leakage. Once the infection is resolved, these symptoms generally improve. If bladder control problems continue, your provider may recommend further evaluation.
Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder is unable to empty completely, leading to constant dribbling or leakage of urine. This can result from weak bladder muscle contractions or blockages in the urinary tract. Conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia in men or nerve damage may contribute to this type of incontinence.