Behavioral therapy for overactive bladder.

What is behavioral therapy? On the one hand there is no consensus in the literature as to the definition of the treatment or the optimal mode of delivery. On the other hand, it is possibly the "best" single treatment for urinary incontinence when viewed from a risk:benefit analysis. There is general agreement that within this framework wide variations exist in intensity of treatment, expertise required to deliver the treatment, and the subsequent cost of therapy. A definition of behavioral therapy should include at least the following techniques: first, education and explanation of normal lower urinary tract function; second, micturition charts and diaries; and finally, timed voiding/bladder training regimens. All of the behavioral methods are demonstrably effective, with improvement rates in incontinence episodes uniformly in excess of 50%. Our challenge is to define the critical parts of behavioral therapy and develop algorithms that can be delivered to the incontinent population in the most cost-effective manner.