Female Urinary Incontinence

Our specialist Consultant Urologists and Urogynaecologists can assess and diagnose your stress urinary incontinence using the latest technology. We offer treatment with bulking agents as a walk in walk out procedure which is performed in an outpatient surrounding.

Stress urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine upon activity such as exercise, laughing or coughing. The main cause is a weakness of the pelvic floor muscles. It is a common condition that affects 1 in 3 women and can occur at any stage of life. The condition can have a substantial impact on day to day life often affecting relationships, activities and well-being.

How can stress urinary incontinence be treated?

Stress urinary incontinence is a very treatable condition, with various treatment options available.

Pelvic Muscle Strengthening

Pelvic muscle strengthening with pelvic floor exercises will likely be one of the first treatment options recommended by your doctor, these exercises will help to improve support of the urethra and bladder. Whilst there are surgical treatment options that can be performed to support the urethra, a less invasive procedure with bulking agents can also be provided.

Bulking Agents

Urethral bulking is the injection of a bulking agent, such as Bulkamid®, into the wall of the urethra which then adds volume to the tissue. This helps support the closing mechanism of the urethra and provides better control of urine when you cough, laugh, exercise or change position. This is a minimally invasive solution with no incisions necessary.

What is Bulkamid?

Bulkamid, a smooth hydrogel, is a urethral bulking agent, consisting of 97.5% water and 2.5% polyacrylamide. Once injected into the soft tissue of your urethra, Bulkamid provides additional volume to the urethra to give long lasting relief of stress urinary incontinence symptoms. The effect on symptoms will be immediate and normal daily activities can be resumed within a few hours or the following day.

Over 80,000 patients have been treated with Bulkamid and more than 75% experience a cure or improvement in their symptoms. Importantly, safety has been established with over 15 years of use in patients.

What to expect

An in-depth consultation with a specialist to discuss your medical history and treatment options – in addition, you will be invited to fill in a special questionnaire on urinary incontinence
Routine blood tests will be carried out to check your general fitness and urine test to exclude infection will be performed on your first visit
On the 2nd visit the Bulkamid injection will be administered, using local anaesthesia
A bladder scan will be performed immediately following Bulkamid injection to make sure you are emptying your bladder well before you leave the clinic
A follow up scan will be performed to check everything is all okay and working as it should – at 4 weeks following Bulkamid injection, you will be invited for a final review. A repeat bladder scan will be performed to make sure patients continue to empty their bladder efficiently and with good control.

Patient Testimonials

A 36 year old mother of two from East London underwent “bladder neck bulking” treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI)
Since my treatment, I haven’t experienced leakage! It’s stopped! It’s amazing and I would go as far to say it’s changed my life. My partner has said I’m different person too – I’ve got my confidence back and am no longer crying all the time. I’ve even bought myself some nice underwear for the first time in years!

Don’t put up with pads and don’t endure the embarrassment. Bulking has given me my life back.
A 44 year old mum of one from York underwent “bladder bulking” treatment for SUI
The procedure took around 15 minutes and although it was a little uncomfortable and stung a bit (when the local anaesthetic was applied) it was all over in 15 mins and I was able to go home shortly after. In fact, I was back at the gym that evening and achieved a ‘Personal Best’ in dead lifting (without any leakage!)
A 55 year old mum of two children from St Albans underwent “bladder neck bulking” treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI)
I really feel as though I’ve got my confidence back – and my husband has got his wife back. I’m so pleased with the treatment, I want to tell my friends and any other women affected by incontinence to go and ask their GP for help – don’t put up with pads!
The 42 year old mum of two from Dorset underwent “bladder neck bulking” treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI)
I didn’t experience any pain or discomfort and the effects of the treatment were almost immediate. No more leaks! I won’t hesitate to recommend Bulkamid® and the difference it’s made to my life. My bladder is back to how it was prior to having children.
Patient in South Croydon, 58, who has three children and seven grandchildren. She underwent “bladder bulking” treatment for recurrent stress urinary incontinence
In my opinion some advertising campaigns for products such as pads, are actually making light of a condition that seriously affects daily life for so many women - therefore I’m delighted to have this opportunity to openly talk about a treatment option that can prevent this problem from occurring in the first place - not just temporarily “mopping it up”.

Thanks to Bulkamid, I'm me again!
Patient in Reading, 71 (who has two grown-up sons, and 2-year old granddaughter) underwent a recent “bladder bulking” treatment for SUI
I’ve actually been treated for stress incontinence on two occasions and both times, the results have been absolutely remarkable!

I am now able to enjoy an active, ‘leak-free’ retirement and can play with and scoop up my little grand-daughter without worrying about an embarrassing accident! I would have no hesitation in recommending that other women speak to their GP and consider bladder neck bulking as a treatment option.