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Answer:A number of prescription medications have been developed to treat urinary incontinence (the involuntary leakage of urine). All are available as pills; one of the newer ones—oxybutynin—comes in a patch version. All work in much the same way: to block nerve impulses to the bladder that make it contract and therefore leak.

Older people are indeed more likely to experience urinary incontinence due to age-related changes in the body, but people of any age may experience it for a variety of reasons. According to a 2004 survey from the National Association For Continence, women do not seek treatment until they've lived with their symptoms for an average of 6 1/2 years; men delay for around four years.

However, there's no need to suffer in silence. Talk to your doctor—even if you feel embarrassed or self-conscious. Depending on your particular situation, besides medication, incontinence can be treated in a variety of ways, from behavioral therapy to surgery. (There are four general types of urinary incontinence: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, and functional incontinence.)

Visit the Walgreens.com Health Library for a brief article about urinary incontinence or an in-depth report.

Find more information about oxybutynin.

View our incontinence products.

View the Walgreens.com Ask a Pharmacist Archives for a list of all commonly asked questions.

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