A laugh, a sneeze, a workout or even lifting a bag of groceries shouldn’t have to come with the worry of bladder leakage.
If you experience urine leakage during everyday activities, you may have stress urinary incontinence (SUI). It’s a common condition for women, but that doesn’t mean you simply have to live with it.
Pelvic floor exercises and physical therapy can be helpful for many women. But when these approaches aren’t providing enough relief, there are other treatment options—including Bulkamid®, a minimally invasive treatment designed specifically for stress urinary incontinence.
What Is Bulkamid?
Bulkamid is a urethral bulking treatment for adult women with stress urinary incontinence. Instead of surgery, it uses small injections of a soft, water-based gel to help the urethra close more effectively.
The urethra is the tube that carries urine out of your bladder. When you cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise, pressure on your bladder increases. If the urethra doesn’t stay tightly closed, urine can leak.
Bulkamid adds gentle cushioning and support to the walls of the urethra, helping it stay closed when that extra pressure occurs.
It may help reduce leakage associated with activities such as:
- Coughing or sneezing
- Laughing
- Walking, running or exercising
- Jumping
- Lifting
- Other activities that put pressure on the bladder
What Happens During a Bulkamid Procedure?
One of the advantages of Bulkamid is that the procedure is relatively quick and minimally invasive.
Your urologist uses a small camera called a cystoscope to see the urethra and carefully places the Bulkamid gel into several areas of the urethral wall. These small deposits of gel help the urethra close more effectively.
The procedure itself generally takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
Unlike a urethral sling procedure, Bulkamid does not require placing supportive material underneath the urethra.
Who May Be a Good Candidate for Bulkamid?
Bulkamid is designed to treat stress urinary incontinence. It may be worth discussing with your urologist if you frequently leak urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, jump or lift something.
However, not all bladder leakage is the same.
Some women experience urge incontinence, which can cause a sudden, difficult-to-control need to urinate. Others have a combination of stress and urge incontinence.
That’s why getting the right diagnosis is important. Your urologist can determine what is causing your leakage and recommend treatments based on your symptoms, health history and personal goals.
What Is Recovery Like After Bulkamid?
Because Bulkamid is minimally invasive, recovery is generally much different from recovery following surgery.
Before you leave after the procedure, your care team will typically make sure you are able to empty your bladder.
You may experience some temporary urinary symptoms afterward. Some women have difficulty urinating immediately following treatment, and, in uncommon cases, a temporary catheter may be needed.
Many women are able to return to their usual activities relatively quickly. Your urologist will give you specific instructions about activity and what to expect following your procedure.
How Quickly Does Bulkamid Work?
Some women notice improvement relatively soon after treatment, although everyone responds differently.
The goal is to reduce bladder leakage, allowing you to enjoy everyday activities with greater confidence and less worry about an unexpected leak.
It is also important to have realistic expectations. Bulkamid may significantly improve leakage without eliminating every episode. Some women may also benefit from an additional Bulkamid treatment.
Your urologist can talk with you about the results you may reasonably expect based on your individual symptoms.
Bulkamid or a Sling: What’s the Difference?
Both Bulkamid and urethral sling procedures can be used to treat stress urinary incontinence, but they approach the problem differently.
Bulkamid uses injections of a soft gel to add cushioning and support within the urethral wall. It is minimally invasive and does not require the placement of a sling.
A urethral sling is a surgical procedure that places supportive material underneath the urethra to help prevent leakage when pressure is placed on the bladder.
For some women, the less invasive nature of Bulkamid is appealing. For others, a sling may be a more appropriate treatment.
There isn’t one solution that is right for every woman. Your urologist can explain the advantages and considerations of each approach and help you understand which options fit your needs.
When Is It Time to See a Urologist?
You don’t have to wait until bladder leakage becomes severe to ask for help.
It may be time to talk with a urologist if you find yourself:
- Wearing pads because you’re worried about leaking
- Avoiding exercise or certain movements
- Planning activities around access to bathrooms
- Worrying about coughing, laughing or sneezing in public
- Limiting travel or social activities
- Changing what you wear because of leakage
- Still experiencing leaks despite pelvic floor exercises or physical therapy
Bladder leakage is common, but common doesn’t mean you have to accept it as a normal part of getting older or being a woman.
Today, there are several treatment options for stress urinary incontinence, ranging from pelvic floor therapy to minimally invasive treatments such as Bulkamid and surgical options.
The first step is finding out what is causing your symptoms.
If bladder leakage is interfering with the things you enjoy, talk with a urologist. A simple evaluation can help you understand the cause of your symptoms and find a treatment option that helps you get back to living with greater comfort and confidence.
Dr. Ramy Goueli provides advanced expertise in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive urology at Urology Associates. Dr. Goueli is a board-certified, fellowship-trained urologist specializing in female pelvic medicine, reconstructive urology, neuro-urology and complex voiding dysfunction. His treatment offerings include Bulkamid® injections, sling procedures and other advanced treatments for urinary incontinence.
His specialized training in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery provides expertise for women experiencing urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor and bladder conditions. If bladder leakage is affecting your confidence, activities or quality of life, Dr. Goueli and the team at Urology Associates can help you understand your symptoms and explore whether Bulkamid or another treatment option may be appropriate for you.
