Surgery
Surgical treatment is only recommended after conservative measures such as diet and lifestyle changes, pelvic floor exercises, bladder training and prescribed medicines have failed to improve incontinence or Overactive bladder syndrome.
Various procedures including insertion of tape, use of bulking agents injected around the urethra and colposuspension are effective in treating stress incontinence but such surgery is not beneficial for urge incontinence or overactive bladder.
Sacral nerve stimulation can improve urge incontinence, and Botulinium toxin (“Botox”) and self-catheterisation can be used, but we do not know if there may be long term harmful affects of repeated Botox injections. In severe cases, more radical, very specialised surgery may be required.