Management of urinary incontinence in women: clinical applications

Urinary incontinence, defined as involuntary loss of urine, is a common health problem among women. The prevalence rate is between 12% and 55% for having ever experienced urinary incontinence. It is associated with poor self-rated health, impaired quality of life, social isolation, and depressive symptoms. However, physicians are usually not the ones to initiate discussion about incontinence with their patients. We present clinical cases to illustrate common scenarios in which a physician may be able to help a female patient manage her urinary incontinence by specifically addressing associated factors and offering treatments to improve or possibly even cure her symptoms. Several evidence-based effective nonpharmacological, pharmacological, and surgical treatment options are outlined.