Urinary incontinence treatment & services

It can happen to anyone. You laugh too hard, and urine leaks. Or out of nowhere, you suddenly need to use the bathroom, and you don't make it in time. But if this is a regular pattern, there may be an underlying medical cause.

Frequent urination, loss of bladder control or sudden, extreme urges to go to the bathroom could point to urinary incontinence or overactive bladder.

Whether it’s an overactive bladder, urinary incontinence or fecal incontinence, our urogynecology team offers a variety of treatments to provide bladder control and help you feel comfortable again.

Collaborative care from our integrated team

We offer a full range of treatment options and provide personalized care plans that are tailored to your specific case and goals. Our compassionate, multidisciplinary team is dedicated to you and improving your quality of life.

Trust us for effective care that includes:

• Expert team: Urologists, urogynecologists, colorectal surgeons, gastroenterologists, physical therapists and other specialists come together to provide the most comprehensive care possible.
• Proven techniques: Your care plan could include bladder or bowel training, pelvic floor exercises, fluid and diet adjustments or other beneficial therapies.
• Latest treatments: We offer options that range from the least invasive to the most advanced, including medications, bulking agents, Botox injections, electrical stimulation, urethral inserts and pessaries, neuromodulation therapy, and surgery.

To schedule an appointment, call 800-3-ADVOCATE or find a doctor online. We offer easy access to locations across Chicagoland.

Comprehensive evaluations for personalized care plans

Creating a personalized care plan for you starts with a comprehensive evaluation that allows our experts to determine the type of incontinence you're experiencing and what's causing it.

Types of incontinence

There are many kinds of incontinence, and symptoms and treatment vary with each.

Urinary incontinence

• Urinary overflow incontinence: Extremely frequent urination and inability to completely empty the bladder
• Urinary urge incontinence: General increase in urinary urgency or frequency or an uncontrollable flow of urine
• Urinary stress incontinence: Urine leakage caused by coughing, sneezing, laughing, bending or lifting
• Environmental (functional) incontinence: Abnormal bladder function and involuntary loss of urine caused by a physical or mental condition
• Mixed urinary incontinence: Some combination of symptoms from the other incontinence types

Fecal incontinence

• Rectovaginal fistulas: An abnormal connection between the rectum and the vagina causing stool leakage because of injury during childbirth
• Obstetrical anal sphincter injury (OASIS): The most common cause of fecal incontinence in women usually caused by trauma during natural childbirth

Causes of urinary incontinence

Overactive bladder can lead to urinary incontinence, and it’s important to seek treatment for bladder control issues early to help get you back on track.

Possible causes include:

Causes of fecal incontinence

Fecal incontinence can be particularly embarrassing and inconvenient. There are many treatable causes.

Possible causes include:

Treatments for urinary incontinence

There’s no single incontinence or overactive bladder treatment that works for everyone. That’s why we offer medical and surgical treatment options tailored to you.

From medical management and pelvic floor care to state-of-the-art urogynecologic surgery, we help you regain health, confidence, comfort and quality of life.

Nonsurgical treatments

The following treatments are effective for urinary incontinence and urinary urgency:

• Medication: There are a number of bladder control medicines in pill, liquid or patch form that can effectively treat certain types of urinary incontinence.
• Biofeedback: Sensors are used to study muscle control.
• Urethral bulking injections: Collagen or synthetic materials are injected around the tube that lets urine out of your bladder (the urethra). This procedure seals the tube more tightly to prevent urine from leaking.
• Botox® injections: Botox, which is a toxin that relaxes muscles, is injected into the bladder muscle to help relieve symptoms of overactive bladder. Injections are done in the office.
• Sacral nerve stimulation (also called neuromodulation therapy): A neurotransmitter device is placed under your skin to give mild electrical pulses that stimulate the nerve that controls the bladder and surrounding muscles. The stimulation reduces symptoms of overactive bladder and urinary retention.
• Pelvic floor therapy: This comprehensive approach to treating the pelvic floor can be effective for strengthening pelvic floor muscles and possibly preventing the need for surgery.
• Vaginal pessaries: These devices can be placed into the vagina to prevent urine leakage.
• Kidney stone treatment: Kidney stones can lead to issues with urinary incontinence. They can be treated with dietary changes or medication. If not, surgery is also an option.
• Medical devices: Self-catheterization with a straight catheter allows you to drain urine on your own when your bladder won’t empty completely by going to the bathroom.

Surgical treatments

The following treatments are effective for pelvic floor disorders, incontinence and other bladder and bowel control issues:

• Laparoscopic and robotic surgery: These minimally invasive robotic surgery approaches offer faster healing and smaller scars. Procedures include treating uterine fibroids, pyeloplasty (removal of blockages in the upper urinary tract), pelvic organ prolapse repair, tumor removal and urethral implants.
• Sling procedure: This procedure treats stress urinary incontinence – the most common form of urinary incontinence. The sling restores and supports the correct anatomical positioning of pelvic organs.
• Reconstructive surgery: These procedures can be used to treat incontinence by reconstructing the bladder, genitourinary system or pelvic floor.

Urinary incontinence in older adults

Urinary incontinence can happen to anyone, but it’s more common in older people, especially women. Some causes of urinary incontinence in older adults include:

• Arthritic or other pain that limits the ability to move quickly enough to get to the bathroom in time
• Congestive heart failure and other conditions that cause excessive fluid buildup in the body
• Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease causing you to forget to go to the bathroom or where to find the toilet
• Deterioration in how the nerves and muscles signal the bladder, causing the need to urinate more often or unexpectedly
• Greater risk for urinary tract infections in women after menopause
• Loss of elasticity in the bladder and pelvic floor muscles, reducing the amount of urine the bladder can hold
• The need to urinate more frequently during the night

Tips for managing urinary incontinence in older adults

• Keep hallways and bathrooms well-lit and clutter-free to make it safer and easier to get to the bathroom during the night.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and soda, which can increase urination.
• Limit fluids before bedtime.
• Lose weight to increase your mobility and reduce pressure on your bladder.
• Avoid smoking, which can irritate the bladder.
• Wear absorbent briefs when necessary to avoid soiling clothing.
• Use underwear that’s easy to put on and take off.
• Exercise the pelvic floor muscles regularly to help prevent bladder leakage and urgency.