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Urinary Incontinence Treatments for Women

Tension-free transvaginal tape is a surgical procedure that requires a surgeon to insert a synthetic tape between a woman’s abdominal and vaginal wall. In less than six weeks, tissue will have grown around the tape to hold it in place to support the neck of the bladder. There is a possibility with this procedure that the tape will be expelled from the body due to rejection from infection or tissue perforation. Some women prefer not to have surgery to correct their urinary incontinence and take medications like, Ditropan instead.

Ditropan, developed by ALZA Corporation, is the first once a day medication for the treatment of urge incontinence. The FDA approved it in late December 1998 to provide an effective therapy for urgency and frequency symptoms of overactive bladder. Ditropan provides a consistent level of medication throughout the day, a technology not found in other medications used to treat incontinence. Side effects of Ditropan include: dry mouth, constipation and drowsiness. Clinical trials showed only a seven percent drop out rate of Ditropan users resulting from adverse effects. Ditropan, along with the other treatments, offer women an escape from the shame involved with the inability to control their bladder.

Only a small quantity of women dealing with urinary incontinence ever discuss their condition with their doctor and with the growing number of viable treatment options it’s unfortunate. These procedures can help women live without the worry of an accident to feel more comfortable and improve their overall quality of life.

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