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Conservative management of incontinence
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology
|October 1, 1995
Summary
Conservative treatments for urinary incontinence, including lifestyle changes and bladder retraining, are low-risk options. Further research is needed to confirm their effectiveness, but they should be discussed with patients.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Physical Therapy
- Gerontology
Background:
- Urinary incontinence affects a significant portion of the population, impacting quality of life.
- Conservative management is a cornerstone of treatment, but evidence for specific modalities is often limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and evaluate the effectiveness of conservative treatments for urinary incontinence.
- To highlight the need for more rigorous clinical comparison studies with objective endpoints.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of conservative therapies for urinary incontinence.
- Evaluation of general measures, physiotherapy, electrostimulation, mechanical devices, and bladder retraining.
Main Results:
- Paucity of clinical comparison studies with objective endpoints hinders definitive effectiveness assessment.
- Conservative therapies are generally low-risk, low-cost, and reversible.
Conclusions:
- Conservative treatments should be discussed with all patients experiencing urinary incontinence.
- Further research is essential to clearly establish the effectiveness of these management strategies.