Recently, a new device called Impressa was launched to help some women suffering from stress urinary incontinence who don’t want to have surgery or see a physician.
Impressa is designed for women who experience stress urinary incontinence, or urine leaking that occurs with exertion; such as cough laugh, sneeze or exercise. It works by providing support to the urethra (the tube that runs from the bladder to the outside) so that the urethra remains closed under the exertion. Its purpose is to stop the leak before it happens. It is not intended for women that leak on the way to the toilet with a strong urge, which is known as urgency incontinence.
This is a reasonable choice for women to try on their own. They will need to try the 3 different sizes available to see which works best for them. It is important to remember the device should not be used for more than 8 hours in a 24 hour period of time and should not be used during a woman’s monthly menses. It the device does not give enough relief from symptoms, guidance should be sought from a care provider.