Urinary incontinence--also known as loss of bladder control--is a common problem that interferes with a person's daily functions, MayoClinic.com explains. An embarrassing problem, it affects everyone differently. Some may experience a urine leakage when they cough or sneeze, while others have complete accidents when the sudden urge to use the bathroom strikes before the bathroom can be reached. The basis for treatment depends on the type and severity of a patient's bladder control problem.
Step 1
Schedule trips to the toilet. This, in essence, is timing urination. Instead of waiting for the bladder to tell a person when they need to go, they use the clock to tell them when it is time to go. People following this plan follow a routine and generally use the bathroom every two to fours. This helps improve urge incontinence in those who suffer from it, and is a behavioral technique.
Step 2
Perform Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises strengthen both the pelvic floor muscles and the sphincter muscles--the muscles controlling urinary flow. A form of physical therapy, Kegels are ideal for both genders who suffer from urinary incontinence. Practice by tightening as if trying to prevent the flow of urine. Begin slowly, doing a set of 10, three times of day. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends performing this exercise as many as 30 to 80 times a day.
Step 3
Get a pessary. For women who suffer from urinary leakage, doctors may prescribe a stiff ring, or a pessary. MayoClinic.com explains that this device supports the bladder once the doctor inserts it into the vagina. Women with a dropped uterus or bladder benefit the most from this device, and though it is worn all day, it needs to removed on a regular basis to be cleaned.
Step 4
Undergo a sling procedure. A surgical treatment for men, the sling procedure involves wrapping a strap of material around the urethra and attaching its ends to the strips of the pelvic bone, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Providing constant pressure on the urethra, it doesn't open unless the patient consciously allows it to.
Step 5
Take medication. The medications a doctor prescribes vary among men and women. For women, drug classes include anticholinergics, which help relax an overactive bladder; topical estrogen, which reduces some symptoms of incontinence; and imipramine, which treats urge and stress incontinence. Men take alpha-blockers to prevent abnormal bladder contractions which lead to urge incontinence; antisposmadics, which relieve the bladder of spasms; and imipramine, which works for women as well.
