Fellowship-Trained Urogynecologist
Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery
Green Bay, Wisconsin
✓ Medically reviewed March 2026
Incontinence
Incontinence — whether it’s urine or stool — is one of the most common reasons women come to see me. It’s also one of the conditions people wait the longest to bring up, usually because of embarrassment or because they assume it’s just part of getting older or having kids.
It’s not. Incontinence is a medical condition, and in most cases it’s very treatable.
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. For some women that means a small leak when they cough or sneeze. For others it’s a sudden, strong urge to go that hits with almost no warning. Either way, it’s treatable.
Up to 50% of adult women experience some form of urinary incontinence. It’s more common as you get older, but it happens at every age.
Types of urinary incontinence
- Stress incontinence — leakage during physical activity, coughing, laughing, or sneezing
- Urge incontinence — a sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by involuntary leakage
- Mixed incontinence — a combination of both stress and urge
When I see a patient with mixed incontinence, I typically focus on whichever type is bothering them more first.
Fecal incontinence
Fecal incontinence, also called accidental bowel leakage, is the involuntary loss of stool or gas. It affects about 1 in 10 adult women, though the real number is probably higher since so many women never bring it up.
If this is something you’re dealing with, you’re not alone, and there are real treatment options. I go into more detail on the fecal incontinence page.
How incontinence affects daily life
I hear from patients all the time about how incontinence changes their routine. They stop exercising, skip social events, map out every bathroom before leaving the house. It wears on you. And none of that is something you should have to just live with.
Treatment options
I treat both urinary and fecal incontinence. I want patients to know about all of their available options so they can decide what’s right for them. Depending on your situation, treatment might include:
- Lifestyle and dietary changes
- Pelvic floor physical therapy
- Bladder training
- Medications
- Vaginal pessaries
- Minimally invasive procedures like sacral neuromodulation
- Surgery, when it’s the right fit
Every patient is different, so we work together to figure out what makes sense for you. If you’re dealing with leakage of any kind, it’s worth scheduling an appointment — even if you’ve been living with it for years.
References
- Aoki Y, Brown HW, Brubaker L, Cornu JN, Daly JO, Cartwright R. Urinary incontinence in women. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17042. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.42
- Whitehead WE, Borrud L, Goode PS, et al. Fecal incontinence in US adults: epidemiology and risk factors. Gastroenterology. 2009;137(2):512-517. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2009.04.054
- Lukacz ES, Santiago-Lastra Y, Albo ME, Brubaker L. Urinary incontinence in women: a review. JAMA. 2017;318(16):1592-1604. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.12137