Treatment is keyed to the type of incontinence. The usual approaches are as follows:
Stress incontinence - Surgery, pelvic floor physiotherapy, anti-incontinence devices, and medication
Urge incontinence - Changes in diet, behavioral modification, pelvic-floor exercises, and/or medications and new forms of surgical intervention
Mixed incontinence - Anticholinergic drugs and surgery
Overflow incontinence - Catheterization regimen or diversion
Functional incontinence - Treatment of the underlying cause
Some experts recommend a trial of medical therapy before considering surgical treatment. Others believe that if the incontinence is severe and correctable by surgical means, a trial of medical therapy is not mandatory and does not need to be performed if the informed patient chooses to proceed directly to surgery.
Treatment of comorbid disease may minimize incontinence episodes. Measures such as smoking cessation, control of asthma, and relief chronic constipation may be beneficial.