Bladder dysfunction and incontinence care
Specialist-guided care for common and complex bladder issues
No single bladder treatment works for everyone, so it’s important to have a care team who focuses on your needs. Providers in Penn Medicine’s Bladder Dysfunction, Prolapse, and Incontinence Treatment Program have the expertise to evaluate your symptoms, diagnose your condition, and create a treatment plan that works best for you. During every step, you’ll get specialized care. Our urologists often work with urology and urogynecology experts, physical therapists who have training in pelvic floor support, and surgeons to help relieve your symptoms.
Part of what makes our program stand out is the leading-edge techniques that help us assess and treat your condition. We may use video urodynamics (VUDS) to capture a clear picture of your bladder function and uroflowmetry to check your urinary tract and urine flow, along with other tests. When it comes to treating incontinence, urinary tract infections (UTIs), or overactive bladder (OAB), we provide a variety of options, from medications and therapies to surgery. We focus on both your emotional and physical well-being because we know that bladder symptoms can be a sensitive topic to talk about.
Bladder and incontinence conditions we treat
Wide-ranging bladder dysfunction treatments
Our specialists work with you to create a care plan you’re comfortable with and that will bring you relief. We use evidence-based therapies, from noninvasive strategies to leading-edge surgeries.
Our pelvic floor therapists teach you how to train and strengthen your muscles to help prevent urine leaks and treat incontinence. During biofeedback, sensors attached to your skin show your muscle activity on a screen. This helps you learn how to contract your pelvic floor muscles.
Your care team may recommend taking medication and making daily changes, like avoiding bladder irritants, to help control bladder leakage. If a UTI is causing your symptoms, medications can help clear the infection.
Injecting Botox into your muscles can help prevent your bladder from contracting and causing an urge to urinate. This can help can help relieve OAB and urge incontinence symptoms.
This removable device is placed in the vagina to support your pelvic organs. It can treat stress incontinence and prolapse, which can happen if your muscles become weak and your organs shift out of place.
A surgeon can perform a procedure to place a sling that holds your urethra in place or strengthens your pelvic floor to relieve stress incontinence. This may be done using a sling made of surgical mesh or with your own tissue taken from your stomach or thigh (mesh-free sling surgery). Your surgeon may use a robot as a guide during the procedure.
This treatment involves surgery to insert a wire that gently stimulates your pelvic nerves to help you regain bladder control. Known as InterStim™ therapy, it can treat OAB and urinary incontinence if other treatments haven’t helped.
Personalized pelvic training for long-term control
Regain confidence and reduce leaks with a noninvasive, personalized strengthening program led by expert therapists. Our specialized pelvic floor physical therapy helps you retrain the muscles that support your bladder for long-term relief without surgery.
Our doctors
Our providers work with you to plan and deliver exceptional treatment and personalized care.
Locations
Our hospitals, multispecialty medical centers, pharmacies, labs and more offer outstanding, personalized care for patients all across the region.