Usually the first place to go is your local health service, such as your general practice. You can talk to your family doctor or practice nurse. Or you can go to a well-man or well-woman clinic if they are offered.

Women can talk to a gynaecologist about pelvic floor exercises and maintaining good continence control. These exercises are especially important during pregnancy and after childbirth.

If you can't get to your doctor's office your general practice can arrange for a visit from a healthcare professional, such as your GP or a community nurse.

First visit

During the first visit your symptoms will be assessed. If you are experiencing mild symptoms your GP or nurse practitioner may decide to advise and treat you with appropriate diet, exercises and possibly medications.

Or you may be referred to a physiotherapist or continence care clinic where a specialist healthcare professional will assess your symptoms and help you with treatments. This could be a specialist physiotherapist or a continence nurse.

If you are pregnant or have a pregnancy-related problem, you might go to a gynaecologist or obstetrician.

If you need a consultant's assessment, your healthcare adviser will send you to a urologist. If you need surgery, you'll be seen by a urological surgeon.

General Practice/family doctor

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• Royal College of General Practitioners
  
  

Nursing and continence care

Continence nurses and nurse specialists work both in hospitals and the community.

Urology nurses work with urological consultants and urogynaecological nurses in the gynaecological specialty. Nurses can do assessments and provide help with some treatments.

• British Association of Urological Nurses
• Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society
• Royal College of Nurses

Exercise and Diet

Physiotherapists help with specific exercises for the pelvic muscles and daily exercise routines.

Nutritionists and dietitians help with dietary advice and nutrition plans.

• The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: Incontinence page
• British Dietetic Association
• British Nutrition Foundation

Older people's medicine

Geriatricians specialise in care for older people.

• British Geriatrics Society
• Royal College of Physicians: geriatric medicine

Pregnancy and childbirth, gynaecology

Women will see a gynaecologist and obstetrician during their pregnancy, both of whom can help with continence care advice and assessment, as can a urogyaecologist.

• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• NHS Direct: What is a well woman clinic?

Consultants and specialist physicians

These are urologists and urological surgeons. The specialism is also known as genitourinary medicine and includes both urinary and reproductive specialists.

• British Association of Urological Surgeons
• Royal College of Surgeons of England
• Royal College of Physicians: genitourinary medicine description