Urinary incontinence is a common problem, affecting some 25 million American women. Yet many women put off seeking medical help, even though there are many effective solutions that can greatly improve their quality of life.

“Maybe because it isn’t life threatening, a lot of our patients deal with it for years before coming to see us,” said Unwanaobong Nseyo, MD, a urogynecologist at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC-VHH) who specializes in treating pelvic floor disorders, including urinary incontinence. “But when they do, they find out we have fairly simple solutions that can dramatically change their quality of life.”

Urinary incontinence is one of the most common types of pelvic floor disorders, which happen in both men and women, but disproportionately affect women. There are two main types of urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence happens when an activity or movement – think sneezing or running – causes leakage. Urge incontinence is a strong, sudden need to urinate resulting from spasms in the bladder.

Whatever the underlying cause, incontinence can affect the way people live. Some people give up certain activities out of fear of triggering their incontinence. Some may avoid going places where they suspect they might encounter long lines at the restrooms.

Nseyo added that there is a wide range of treatment options for people with pelvic floor disorders, many of which are completely non-invasive including physical therapy.

“Physical therapy can help with both stress and urge incontinence,” said Nseyo. “We are fortunate that we have nationally-renowned physical therapists who specialize in treating pelvic floor disorders who have done incredible work with our patients.”

The team at USC-VHH utilizes the least invasive treatments first, scaling up only if the patient requires more intervention. Some patients with urge incontinence may benefit from behavioral modifications, medications or Botox injections into the wall of the bladder. Patients with stress incontinence may benefit from injections of fillers or the insertion of a device called a pessary. Surgery is an option, too, when other methods fail.

“A lot of these procedures are minimally-invasive and take little time to do,” said Nseyo. “And yet they can be really transformative for the lives of our patients.”