Advanced Care Program: Incontinence
Behavioral Training
Incontinence is a symptom, not a disease. Therefore, it is treatable. In fact, approximately 80% of incontinent individuals can be treated to eliminate or significantly reduce incontinent episodes.
There are three types of behavioral training that can be done at home to treat urinary incontinence.
1. Bladder training
2. Timed voiding
3. Prompted voiding
Bladder training is used to treat urge incontinence. It is often more effective than medication. Bladder training is designed to train your bladder to hold more urine and decrease the urge to urinate. It involves creating a schedule for urinating. You are encouraged to refrain from urinating until the scheduled time. The intervals are gradually increased until you can refrain from urinating for several hours.
Timed voiding is used to treat functional incontinence. Unlike bladder training, the goal is not to increase the intervals between urinating. Instead, a schedule is established based on your own habits.
Prompted voiding is also used to treat functional incontinence. It is often used to reduce the number of incontinent episodes by training a caregiver to prompt the incontinent individual to urinate and making them more aware of the need to urinate.
Do not attempt these methods without discussing with your doctor. Do not let embarrassment prevent you from seeking medical help. See your healthcare professional regarding the best treatment options to treat your form of incontinence.
More Incontinence Topics
Types of Incontinence
Diet & Bladder Control
Treatments for Incontinence
Medications & Bladder Control
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Pelvic Floor Stimulation
Behavioral Training