Stress Incontinence Recovery

Stress incontinence recovery after any type of surgical procedure for stress incontinence can involve some therapy as well as monitoring of your urination patterns. Bladder training includes some behavior modifications to put you on a regular urination schedule. The time in-between trips to the toilet are increased gradually to help train your muscles to hold in the urine for longer periods of time. Bladder biofeedback training involves watching as the sensors measure the EMG electromyography (electrical activity of your sphincter muscle) as you squeeze and relax. The results can help you zero in on and control the bladder sphincter to hold in or release your urine.

Stress incontinence recovery can also involve consistent practice in pelvic floor exercises. Kegel exercises involve the repeated constriction and release of the muscles used to hold in and release urine. During these exercises, you hold the muscles for 3 or 4 seconds, and then release for the same amount of time. This is repeated 10 to 15 times in a set. Three to four sets should be done daily. These practices will help build the strength of your pelvic muscles and can reduce your stress incontinence greatly.

It’s important to follow all of our doctors’ recommendations during recovery of your incontinence procedure. Keep and attend any follow-up visits. Our doctors will repeat a rectal examination or vaginal examination to make sure any stitches are secured or removed and that incisions have healed correctly. We may also repeat urinalysis and urine cultures to make sure you have not developed cystitis because an inflamed bladder can indicate the presence of a urinary tract infection (bladder infection).

You may be asked to repeat the documentation of a voiding diary to make sure you are not leaking urine. In the diary, make sure to include any time that you experience daytime wetting. Write down incidents in which you find yourself leaking urine while sneezing, leaking urine while coughing, leaking urine while laughing, or leaking urine while exercising. If you unexpectedly wet the bed two or three times (a condition called enuresis) let your doctor know.

Stress incontinence recovery may include post-operative tests, such as sacral nerve stimulation tests to activate the nerves in the lower back to let your brain and body control continence. For men, post prostatectomy test results can help doctors determine if urinary retention or urinary incontinence has developed due to the prostate gland not supporting the urethra any longer. Our staff at Urology Specialists will offer suggestions to make your recovery as comfortable and fast as possible. We will be with you every step of the way, from diagnosis to treatment to recovery, to make sure your incontinence does not take over your life.