For women who struggle with frequent, urgent needs to urinate, everyday life can be a challenge.
Some people bring changes of clothes with them in case they have an accident. Others won’t take trips or go on airplanes.
“There are patients that don’t leave their homes anymore,” says Dr. Annaceci Peacher, a urogynecologist who offers care at the Georgetown and Holmestown Road locations of Tidelands Health OB/GYN. . “They just get afraid that something’s going to happen, and they’ll have an accident.”
The feeling of having to urinate urgently or frequently often occurs when the bladder senses it’s full before it actually is. It can feel like the bladder is never fully empty.
Fortunately, Dr. Peacher says, treatment is available.
“It’s something that happens to a lot of people, so people think it’s normal,” Dr. Peacher says. “But it doesn’t have to be a fact of life.”
Often, the first step in treating the condition is lifestyle change. Try altering how much and what kind of liquids you’re drinking. Coffee, tea and soda can irritate your bladder. Even decaffeinated versions can be problematic.
It’s common to drink about 64 ounces of liquid a day and to pee about every two hours during the day, Dr. Peacher says. Cut back on the caffeine and see if you can hit those targets.
If not, it may be time to see a specialist such as Dr. Peacher, who can develop a customized treatment plan to help alleviate your symptoms.
One option is physical therapy, which can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support proper urinary tract function.
Prescription medication can also help by relaxing your bladder so it becomes more full before you experience the urge to urinate.
Another option is bladder Botox. Dr. Peacher says the injection can help relax the bladder and regulate the urge to pee for six to nine months.
For women who are unsuccessful with other approaches, Dr. Peacher can implant a small device that restores normal communication between your bladder and brain. The best part? Relief lasts for 15 years.
“It’s the best, strongest thing we have to treat frequent urination,” she says.
Perhaps the most important step in addressing urinary incontinence is making the decision seek care, says Dr. Peacher.
“It’s important women know that we’re here to help,” she says. “Although it’s natural to feel a sense of embarrassment, we want our patients to feel comfortable coming to us to find relief – it can be life-changing.”