Losing control of the contents of your bladder is an embarrassing problem that may keep you from doing the things you enjoy. The experienced team at Urological Associates in Charlottesville, Virginia, specializes in helping people with urinary incontinence get their lives back. The urologists offer many treatments for bladder issues, including InterStim® therapy, which is a treatment for overactive bladder. To learn more about InterStim therapy and how it may help you, call the office today or book an appointment online.

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What is overactive bladder?

Overactive bladder, also referred to as urge urinary incontinence, is a type of incontinence that causes you to experience a sudden and intense urge to urinate, followed by a loss of bladder control. It occurs when the muscles in your bladder contract involuntarily, leading to urgency and leakage. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and an enlarged prostate, may increase your risk of overactive bladder.

The doctors at Urological Associates specialize in the treatment of overactive bladder, and they offer many options to help you gain control over your bladder, including InterStim therapy.

What is InterStim therapy?

InterStim therapy is a type of neuromodulation that helps you gain control over your bladder function through electrical nerve stimulation. The InterStim system is an implantable device that sends electrical impulses through the sacral nerve to nerves that regulate your bladder muscles to help put you back in control.

Am I a good candidate for InterStim therapy?

Your specialist at Urological Associates determines if you’re a good candidate for InterStim therapy after doing a comprehensive exam and reviewing your medical history. You may be considered a candidate for the implant device if you have severe overactive bladder and have already tried lifestyle modification and medications, and yet failed to get relief from your symptoms.

After it’s been decided that you may benefit from InterStim Therapy, your specialist conducts a trial run of the neuromodulation unit to see if it helps you. During the test run, which may be a week or more, the nerve stimulators are placed on your sacral nerves and you wear the testing device on your clothing. Your doctor at Urological Associates closely monitors your experience during the test run to see if you would benefit from the implanted device.

If you find that InterStim therapy improves your bladder control, then your specialist can place your implant device under your skin. The implant is very small and sends the electrical impulses to your sacral nerves to improve bladder control.

You can stop your InterStim therapy at any time by turning off the device or having it removed.

Overactive bladder can significantly affect your quality of life. If medication and lifestyle modification have failed to improve your bladder control, then you may want to consider InterStim therapy. Call Urological Associates today or book an appointment online for an evaluation.