Urinary incontinence is when you lose the control of your bladder. It occurs when bladder muscles responsible for urine flow begin to contract and expand involuntarily. It can be a temporary, mild problem or a chronic one.

In most cases, non-surgical bladder control treatment options work very well. However, for severe cases of urinary incontinence, there are many surgical options that your doctor may recommend. Knowing about all treatment plans can help you make an informed choice about your health.

Here are the surgical treatment options for urinary continence.

Sling procedure: This procedure is often used for the treatment of stress incontinence. Stress incontinence is when sudden pressure on the bladder causes the urine to leak. In this procedure, your body tissue or synthetic material is used to make a sling to stop the urethra from opening due to pressure.

Bladder neck suspension: This procedure helps to create support for the bladder neck and the urethra. It is done through an incision in the abdomen and requires general anesthesia.

Artificial urinary sphincter: This procedure helps men to control their bladder through an implant on the bladder neck. A valve is inserted under the skin to help you to control their urine flow.

Prolapse surgery: This bladder control treatment is for women to adjust their bladder and urethra muscles back into position.

Sacral nerve stimulation: This is a procedure to implant a device in the buttock. Used for the treatment of an overactive bladder, the device stimulates the sacral nerves with the help of mild electrical pulse.

Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation: This is a bladder control treatment using an electrical pulse in the tibial nerve (in the ankle). Done without anesthesia, the electrical stimulation is a device inserted by the tibial nerve.

Blockage removal: Surgical bladder control treatment can also include removal of any blockage in the urethra or bladder. At times, blockages in the bladder can cause overflow incontinence (bladder doesn’t empty properly; causing it to overflow).

Bladder control treatment depends on the severity and the type of the problem. You may require a combination of medicines, surgery and other treatment options to manage the symptoms.