What is SUI?
Leakage of urine in an activity that involves physical pressure like coughing, sneezing etc. It can become severe, when there is leakage even in regular activities like standing up, bending & even on walking.
Causes
- Childbirth
- Menopause
- Obesity
- Ageing
- Surgery
- Chronic Coughing
- Sneezing etc.
Diagnosis
Cough Stress Test - On a full bladder, you are asked to cough, if there is leakage of urine on coughing, it is SUI.
Also, there is need to rule out infection in urine by doing a culture & sensitivity test.
Treatment
- Exercise/medication etc – Kegel exercises (muscle exercises) to strengthen pelvic floor & sphincter. Also, fluid should be consumed in limits and alcoholic & caffeinated drinks to be avoided. Sometimes, a special medication is given to deal with problem of SUI, but with limited results.
- LASER/RF – Except in very severe cases, Laser and RF have proven as one of the best noninvasive modalities, without any hospital admissions.
- Surgery –Final option for the treatment of SUI is definitive surgery commonly known as Sling surgeries or Tape surgeries (by placing strips of synthetic mesh that supports the urethra, also it keeps it closed when there is rise in intraabdominal pressure while coughing or sneezing, hence preventing accidental leakage. Of all the methods of sling surgeries like TVT, TOT & Mini sling surgery, TOT is the best option.)