Clinical Question

Are conservative interventions effective in treating women with urinary incontinence, specifically stress or urge urinary incontinence?

Evidence-Based Answer

Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is more effective than control at achieving cure and improving symptoms and quality-of-life measures in women with all types of urinary incontinence. (Strength of Recommendation [SOR]: A, consistent, good-quality patient-oriented evidence.) PFMT for all types of urinary incontinence is more effective if it is more intense, done more frequently, and performed with individual supervision. (SOR: B, limited-quality patient-oriented evidence.) Vaginal cones are more effective than control at achieving cure or improving symptoms in patients with stress urinary incontinence. Electrical stimulation is more beneficial than control at achieving cure or improving symptoms in patients with stress urinary incontinence. Electrical stimulation is also more effective than control at improving symptoms in women with urge urinary incontinence. Women who are overweight or obese may benefit from weight loss, which results in more cure and improvement of symptoms in any type of urinary incontinence.¹ (SOR: B, limited-quality patient-oriented evidence.)