Stress Urinary Incontinence
Treatment for leakage with coughing, sneezing or exercise with Dr. Tabakin in New Brunswick, NJ.
In short: Stress urinary incontinence is urine leakage with coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercise, caused by loss of support under the urethra. Dr. Alexandra Tabakin, a urologist and fellowship-trained urogynecologist in New Brunswick, NJ, offers non-surgical options including pelvic floor physical therapy and pessaries, and surgical options including urethral bulking and the midurethral sling.
What is stress urinary incontinence?
Stress urinary incontinence means leakage of urine with activities like coughing, laughing, or sneezing. This type of urinary leakage occurs because of general wear and tear over time to the pelvic muscles. The urethra (the tube through which you urinate) loses its support from the pelvic floor muscles, causing urine to leak with activities.
Talk to a specialist. Dr. Tabakin sees new patients at her New Brunswick office, in the Clinical Academic Building at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
How is stress urinary incontinence treated?
The treatment for stress urinary incontinence depends on the severity of your symptoms, your lifestyle, and your treatment goals. There are non-surgical and surgical options. Your doctor will help you select the best option for you.
Non-surgical options include:
- Observation
- Lifestyle modifications (weight loss, anti-cough medications, etc.)
- Pelvic floor physical therapy
- Pessary
- Intra-vaginal inserts
Surgical options include:
- Urethral Bulking Agent
- Mid-urethral Sling
Learn more from the American Urogynecologic Society patient site, Voices for PFD: Stress Urinary Incontinence.
Page updated October 2026.
Related pages: Midurethral Sling · Urethral Bulking
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