Types of leakage
- Stress incontinence: leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh, lift or exercise
- Urge incontinence (overactive bladder): a sudden, strong need to pass urine, often with leaking before you reach the toilet, and waking at night to urinate
- Mixed incontinence: both of the above
- Continuous leakage: urine leaking all the time, which can be caused by a fistula after a difficult birth or surgery. This needs specialist assessment and can be repaired.
Treatment options
First steps: pelvic floor exercises, bladder training, and simple changes such as reducing caffeine and treating constipation. These help many women.
Further treatment, when needed:
- Medication to calm an overactive bladder
- Bladder Botox injections when an overactive bladder does not respond to medication
- Vaginal oestrogen after menopause
- Vaginal support devices for leakage during exercise
- Surgery for stress incontinence, such as a sling procedure
- Fistula repair for continuous leakage
Your visit includes a private assessment, a urine test, and where helpful, a 3D/4D pelvic floor ultrasound or urodynamic studies. You choose the treatment together.
Common questions
Is leaking urine after childbirth normal?
It is common, but you do not have to accept it. Treatment helps at any stage.
Can incontinence be treated without surgery?
Often, yes. Exercises, bladder training and medication help many women.
I leak all the time. Can that be fixed?
Constant leakage may be a fistula, which can usually be repaired. Please seek assessment.
How much does treatment cost?
It depends on the treatment and your insurance. You will get an estimate after your assessment.
General information only. It does not replace a medical consultation.