Functional Urology
Diagnosis and treatment of incontinence, overactive bladder, urinary retention and pelvic floor conditions, including urodynamic testing.
What is functional urology?
Functional urology focuses on how the lower urinary tract works — the bladder, the urethra, the sphincter muscles and the nerves and pelvic floor that control them. When this system is out of balance, the result can be leakage, urgency, frequency, or difficulty emptying the bladder. These problems are extremely common, they are not something to simply put up with, and a wide range of effective treatments is available.
Rather than focusing on a single organ, functional urology looks at the coordination between the bladder and the muscles that store and release urine. Problems can affect anyone — women and men, and at any age — and they often respond very well to treatment once the underlying pattern is properly understood.
Conditions we treat
Urinary incontinence
The unintentional leakage of urine. The two most common types are stress incontinence (leaking with coughing, laughing or exercise) and urge incontinence (leaking with a sudden, strong need to go); many people have a mix of both.
Leakage with activity or with urgency, and sometimes needing pads or limiting activities because of it.
Pelvic-floor physiotherapy, bladder retraining, lifestyle adjustments, medications, and — where needed — procedures such as urethral bulking, slings, or other surgical options tailored to the type of incontinence.
Overactive bladder (OAB)
A frequent, sudden and hard-to-defer urge to urinate, often with daytime frequency and waking overnight.
Urgency, frequency, nocturia, and sometimes urge-related leakage.
Bladder retraining and pelvic-floor work, reducing bladder irritants such as caffeine, medications, and for resistant cases bladder Botox injections or sacral neuromodulation (a small device that gently regulates the nerve signals to the bladder).
Urinary retention and incomplete emptying
Difficulty emptying the bladder fully, which can be due to an obstruction (such as an enlarged prostate) or a problem with the bladder muscle or nerves.
A weak stream, straining, a sense of incomplete emptying, and recurrent infections.
Treating the underlying cause, sometimes with medication, catheter strategies, or surgery.
Neurogenic bladder
Bladder dysfunction caused by nerve-related conditions, such as spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis or diabetes.
Individualised management to protect the kidneys and improve quality of life, often guided by urodynamic testing.
Urodynamic testing — what to expect
Urodynamic studies are simple, minimally invasive tests that measure how well your bladder fills, stores and empties, and how the bladder and sphincter muscles work together. They help pinpoint the exact cause of symptoms so that treatment can be targeted rather than trial-and-error.
The tests are usually completed within about an hour. Fine catheters gently measure pressures while the bladder is slowly filled, and you’ll be asked to indicate when you feel the urge to urinate. Most people find the tests very tolerable, with at most mild discomfort. The results give your urologist a clear picture to plan the right treatment.
This page provides general information only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Please consult a urologist about your individual circumstances.