Botox Therapy for Urinary Incontinence

Botox Therapy for Urinary Incontinence is treat by the Urology Division as well as the Women’s Center for Continence and Sexual Health at Premier Medical Group.

What is Botox Therapy for Urinary Incontinence?

Botox therapy for urinary incontinence is a treatment option for those who have not responded to more common forms of treatment for urinary incontinence. While many associate Botox with wrinkle reduction and face fillers, Botox therapy has more uses and can also serve as a treatment to urinary issues. Botox treatments work to relax the urinary tract and bladder muscles to help establish a more consistent response to urges and resolve many symptoms of urinary incontinence. 

The Botox works to lessen nerve communication between the bladder muscles and nerves to prevent spasm and strong urges that could lead to accidents. As the muscles relax, the body can work to increase its bladder capacity and control the urges to urinate. With consistent Botox therapy, people with urinary incontinence have the chance to limit accidents and treat their incontinence. Botox therapy does have benefits and risks to consider and consult with your doctor about if you think you are a good candidate for the treatment and have not had luck with other urinary incontinence treatments. 

What is Botox?

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Botox is a form of botulinum toxin that has been derived from bacteria and purified. Botox is used for a variety of medical and cosmetic purposes, given its muscle relaxing effects. While Botox is derived from a toxic substance, Botox is not toxic in its purified form and is regulated and approved for medical uses by the FDA. 

When injected, Botox blocks nerve signals in the muscle area into which it is injected. The blocked signals result in an inactive muscle that does not contract. The nerve blocking functions of Botox make it an effective treatment for wrinkles and conditions like migraines and urinary incontinence. 

What is urinary incontinence?

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Urinary incontinence occurs when you lose control of your bladder, resulting in leaking urine and strong, sudden urges to urinate. The bladder condition is more likely to affect women, especially women who are pregnant or who have given birth and women in menopause. Urinary incontinence has a variety of causes, including a urinary tract infection, certain medications, or diabetes. The main symptom of urinary incontinence is the occurrence of dripping urine or leaking large amounts of urine. 

After you are diagnosed with urinary incontinence after visiting a urologist, there are different treatment options to address your particular symptoms. Mainly, your doctor will prescribe medications to treat the incontinence by relaxing muscles. Other lifestyle changes with the intention of strengthening your pelvic floor and improving your diet can help prevent leaks. However, when these treatments are not effective, your urologist might suggest Botox therapy as an alternative to achieving the same results of medication. 

How does Botox therapy for urinary incontinence work?

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Botox therapy for urinary incontinence is an outpatient procedure that is typically performed in a doctor’s office. While getting the Botox therapy, you remain conscious and able to drive yourself home afterwards. The doctor will likely use a local anesthetic to temporarily numb the bladder area, but this anesthesia should wear off within an hour or two. The entire procedure lasts about one hour, start to finish. The injections themselves take a matter of minutes to administer. 

Before injecting the Botox treatment, your doctor will typically use a local anesthetic to mask any pain or discomfort associated with the injections. To administer the anesthesia, the urologist will insert a catheter through the urethra. Then, the local anesthetic can be flushed through the catheter to reach the bladder. Once the anesthesia is applied, the urologist will insert a tool called a cystoscope, which is a thin tube. The tube provides the channel for the urologist to inject the Botox directly into the bladder. 

After the injections are administered, the urologist will likely have you stay for a couple of hours in the office for observation. The doctor will want you to pass urine while at the office and do a bladder scan to make sure the bladder empties properly. In addition, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic in case of an infection from the use of the catheter, cystoscope, and syringe. Once the doctor’s office clears you to go home, you can return to your day as normal.

Who can get Botox therapy for urinary incontinence?

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Botox therapy for urinary incontinence is an FDA-approved treatment for the condition and has a 70%-75% success rate for those who used the treatment. It is a safe and effective treatment option for many who either cannot pursue other treatment options or for those who have not found a good method of treating their symptoms. To find out if you are eligible to try Botox therapy for your bladder issues, you must consult with your doctor to determine if the treatment would be advisable. 

Botox is often a great treatment option for women who have an overactive bladder or who cannot control their urges to urinate. The treatment option might also be more effective for those who have urinary incontinence as a result or nerve damage or degenerative conditions, such as multiple sclerosis. Botox is usually not offered as the first method of treating incontinence, so you may not be eligible to try until you try more traditional treatments. 

Botox therapy for urinary incontinence is not recommended for those who have a urinary tract infection, have a higher risk of enlarged prostate, or cannot urinate independently. In addition, if you have had an adverse reaction to Botox, you are likely ineligible. 

How long does Botox last?

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Much like its cosmetic uses, Botox is not permanent and does fade after a period of time. Botox does produce results as soon as two weeks after the initial injection, with people seeing the full range of effectiveness at around twelve weeks post-injection. The injected Botox usually lasts for six months before you may start noticing symptoms return. At that point, you should schedule an appointment with your urologist to have the Botox injected again. 

You can receive multiple rounds of Botox injections to treat urinary incontinence. You can work with your doctor to determine a schedule of when to receive follow up treatments. Studies are continually underway to determine the optimal dosage of Botox treatments to retain the best benefits of the therapy. 

What are the benefits of Botox therapy for urinary incontinence?

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For urinary incontinence, there are many great benefits of Botox therapy that make the therapy worth trying for many people who struggle with this issue. With consistent Botox therapy, people can find that accidents of urinary incontinence are reduced or do not happen at all. Many people who use Botox do not experience severe urges as often or at all. In addition to those benefits, your quality of life can improve as you begin to gain back control of your bladder and do not have to urinate as frequently or use pads or diapers for accidents. 

The appointment to receive Botox therapy is minimally invasive, is not painful, and allows you to go back to your day without further interruption. While you do have to return for follow up treatments after several months, the benefits of the treatment often make the commitment worth the follow up for many. 

What are the side effects of Botox therapy for urinary incontinence?

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There are some reported side effects of Botox therapy for urinary incontinence. You may experience a combination of these symptoms to some degree. Side effects that linger are not common after Botox therapy and these listed below usually last only for a few days:

  • Challenges with urinating 
  • Pain during urination 
  • Urinary tract infection 
  • Bladder not emptying fully (urinary retention), requiring the use of a catheter
  • Mild cramping in bladder 
  • Bleeding in urinary tract system

If you notice your symptoms are not improving after a few days, contact your doctor. Most of these symptoms resolve on their own without further intervention. However, do contact your doctor if you are concerned about any side effects you do experience. It can also be helpful to keep track of the symptoms you are noticing and communicate those to your doctor.  

What is the outlook for people who get Botox therapy?

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The outlook for those who respond well to Botox therapy for urinary incontinence is very positive. A high percentage of those treated with Botox for urinary issues see results from consistent Botox treatments. While there are minor side effects for the Botox treatments, there are few major risks for Botox treatments in the bladder. 

Because Botox is widely recognized as an effective treatment for urinary incontinence, the treatments are generally covered by most insurance providers. There are specialists who have experience in this type of procedure who can consult with you about your eligibility and likelihood to see results. With Botox therapy, you can regain control of your bladder and reduce or entirely eliminate the occurrence of bladder accidents to improve your quality of life. 

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