title: Behavioral treatment of urinary incontinence, voiding dysfunction, and overactive bladder.
abstract: Behavioral treatments have been used for several decades to treat urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, and other lower urinary tract symptoms. The spectrum of behavioral treatments includes those that target voiding habits and life style, as well as those that train pelvic floor muscles to improve strength and control. What they all have in common is that they improve symptoms by teaching skills and by changing the patient's behavior. Most patients are not cured through behavioral intervention, but the abundance of literature tells us that most patients experience significant reductions in symptoms and improvements in quality of life. Behavioral treatments should be a mainstay in the care of women of all ages with incontinence or other lower urinary tract symptoms.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Medicine and Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham, Alabama 35233, USA. kburgio@uab.edu
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Burgio
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*