Interstim® therapy is used to stimulate the sacral nerves responsible for the overactive bladder reflex. It’s a 2 step process including a testing phase to determine if the treatment will help you and a treatment phase if you are a suitable candidate. During testing, the technician will place a tiny wire near the appropriate nerves and a small stimulator on your body. The wire causes mild pulses that are carried to the sacral nerve. These pulses should be painless and most patients experience a pulling or tingling sensation. You will keep a diary of how often you urinate, any leaking episodes, or if you experience any side effects. If the test shows that the stimulation helps your condition, you will move to step to where a small implant is inserted beneath the skin of your upper buttock where it supplies up to 7 years of continuous stimulation.