Urinary Incontinence Treatment
Once Dr. Safir arrives at a definitive diagnosis, he will recommend the appropriate
treatment, which may be minimally invasive surgery or non-surgical remedies.
Non-Surgical Incontinence Treatments
Non-surgical remedies for urinary incontinence are recommended for milder cases.
These include modifying diet and lifestyle; weight loss, discontinuing certain drugs,
and pelvic floor exercises may also help.
Medications are available, but they are only effective in treating urge incontinence
or overflow incontinence (not stress incontinence). Dr. Safir may prescribe the
following medications for urinary incontinence:
- Anticholinergics: Vesicare (solifenacin) or Enablex ( darifenacin)
- Best for overactive bladder or urge incontinence treatment
- Alpha-blockers like Flomax (tamsulosin)
- May alleviate overactive bladder as well as overflow incontinence symptoms
Urinary Incontinence Surgery
Urinary incontinence surgery is needed for the more severe cases of incontinence
in men and women. The FDA has not approved any medications for stress incontinence—the
most common form of urinary incontinence in women—leaving surgery as the only option.
Fortunately, Dr. Safir is not only one of the most experienced urologists in Los
Angeles; he was named “One of America’s Top Urologists” by the Consumers’ Research
Council. Dr. Safir is also recognized as an expert in reconstructive urology and
a pioneer in minimally-invasive urology surgery. We offer the following in-office
procedures:
- Bulking agent injection: the injection of collagen, fat, or synthetic materials
into the urethra at the bladder neck. This helps close the urethra and reduce leakage.
- Radiofrequency treatment (RF): a probe inserted through
the urethra into the bladder uses radiofrequency energy to strengthen tissue, effectively
reducing episodes of incontinence.
Sling Procedure
The Sling Procedure is a minimally invasive surgery is considered the best surgical option for stress incontinence.
- How it works: The sling procedure prevents urethral hypermobility, supporting the region of the urethra responsible for continence with a “sling” made of mesh tape or a tissue graft. Dr. Safir performs this surgery by introducing the sling through a minimal incision in the vagina.
- Benefits: This surgical approach results in much less post- operative pain and discomfort than traditional open surgery and allows patients to return to their usual routine within a couple of days. Dr. Safir endorses this option above all others, especially since this surgical procedure demonstrates long-term success rates of around 90%.
Take the next step and, click here to make an appointment with Dr. Safir, or call 1-800-DR-SAFIR today.