There are many treatment options for incontinence. One of these treatment options may be medication prescribed by your physician. Let’s review the different classes of medication used for incontinence and how these medications treat the condition.
Anticholinergic drugs are used to treat incontinence. They act by blocking the chemical messenger, acetylcholine, which is responsible for stimulating bladder contractions. The goal of anticholinergics is to limit the number of unwanted bladder contractions.
Topical estrogen is also used in the treatment of incontinence. It is a cream that is applied directly to the vaginal and urethral tissue with the goal of increasing blood flow to tone and rejuvenate the muscular and connective tissue of the pelvic floor.
Desmopressin is another drug used to treat incontinence. It is a synthetic version of a natural hormone called anti-diuretic hormone or ADH. This hormone decreases production of urine. Our bodies normally produce more ADH at night so our need to urinate is less. Desmopression may be given to elevate ADH levels and control night time incontinence. For this reason it is commonly used to treat bedwetting in children.
For more information on the different types of medications that can help treat incontinence, I recommend reaching out to your physician.