Treating Urinary Incontinence in Women without Surgery
| A note to readers: The PCORI Evidence Update featured in this blog post was removed from the PCORI website in December 2024 as part of our regular content review process. Evidence Updates that no longer provide timely information due to new research findings or changes in clinical guidelines are removed. This blog post has been retained for archival purposes. |
Millions of women have urinary incontinence (UI), or leaking urine. Treatments can help improve quality of life for women with UI. Yet many don’t discuss UI with their doctors.
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has created an Evidence Update to share research findings on treating UI without surgery. Treatments—such as Kegel exercises, bladder training, and medicine—can help improve symptoms for many women. Patients and their doctors can use this resource when they discuss treating UI.
The findings are from a 2018 update of a systematic review on treatments for UI that don’t involve surgery. A systematic review combines the results of many studies. The research team looked at 233 studies with a total of about 14,000 women. PCORI and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality supported the systematic review.
If you think you may have UI, tell your doctor about your symptoms and how they affect your life. With this information, you and your doctor can create a plan that is right for you.
To learn more about how UI affects women and how treatments affect quality of life, listen to the Urology Care Podcast episode, "Urinary Incontinence with Dr. Gary Lemack.” Dr. Lemack works at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
PCORI is an independent nonprofit organization that funds research. Our goal is to help patients, caregivers, and clinicians make better-informed health decisions. PCORI offers Evidence Updates on a number of topics.
Updated: December 2024