Urinary incontinence is an embarrassing little problem, and lots of women -- regardless of age -- are secretly dealing with it.
What is urinary incontinence?
Incontinence can be a short-term problem caused by a urinary tract infection, a medicine, or constipation. It gets better when you treat the problem that is causing it. But in majority, it is an ongoing problem
There are two main kinds of urinary incontinence. Some women-especially older women-have both.
Stress incontinence occurs when you sneeze, cough, laugh, jog, or do other things that put pressure on the bladder. It is the most common type of bladder control problem in women.
Urge incontinence happens when they have a strong need to urinate but can't reach the toilet in time. This can happen even when the bladder is holding only a small amount of urine. Some women may have no warning before they accidentally leak urine. Other women may leak urine when they drink water or when they hear or touch running water.
What causes urinary incontinence?
Weak muscles in the lower urinary tract.
Problems or damage either in the urinary tract or in the nerves that control urination.
Stress incontinence can be caused by childbirth, weight gain, or other conditions that stretch the pelvic floor muscles. When these muscles can't support your bladder properly, the bladder drops down and pushes against the vagina. You can't tighten the muscles that close off the urethra. So urine may leak because of the extra pressure on the bladder when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or do other activities
Urge incontinence is caused by an overactive bladder muscle that pushes urine out of the bladder. It may be caused by irritation of the bladder, emotional stress, or brain conditions such as Parkinson's disease or stroke. Many times doctors don't know what causes it.
Investigations
· Bladder diary Keep track of your symptoms and any leaking of urine with a bladder diary. This can help you and your doctor find the best treatment for you.
Urinalysis. A sample of urine is sent to a laboratory, where it's checked for signs of infection, traces of blood or other abnormalities.
Ultrasound also may be used to view other parts of the urinary tract or genitals to check for abnormalities.
Urodynamic testing. These tests measure pressure in the bladder when it's at rest and when it's filling. A catheter is introduced into your urethra and bladder to fill the bladder with water. Meanwhile, a pressure monitor measures and records the pressure within the bladder. This test helps measure the bladder strength and urinary sphincter health, and it's an important tool for distinguishing the type of incontinence
How is it treated?
There are also some things you can do at home. In many cases, these lifestyle changes can be enough to control incontinence.
· Cut back on caffeine drinks, such as coffee and tea.
· Eat foods high in fiber to help avoid constipation
· Stay at a healthy weight.
· Try simple pelvic-floor exercises like Kegel exercises.
· Go to the bathroom at several set times each day, and wear clothes that you can remove easily. Make your path to the bathroom as clear and quick as you can.
If you have symptoms of urinary incontinence, don't be embarrassed to tell your doctor. Most people can be helped or cured.
How can you prevent urinary incontinence?
Strengthening your pelvic muscles with Kegel exercises may lower your risk for incontinence.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises. These exercises strengthen your urinary sphincter and pelvic floor muscles — the muscles that help control urination. Your doctor may recommend that you do these exercises frequently. They are especially effective for stress incontinence, but may also help urge incontinence.
To do pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegel exercises), imagine that you're trying to stop your urine flow. Squeeze the muscles you would use to stop urinating and hold for a count of three and repeat.
Medications
Duloxetine is sometimes used to treat stress incontinence.
Surgery
If other treatments aren't working, several surgical procedures have been developed to fix problems that cause urinary incontinence.
Some of the commonly used procedures include:
Sling procedures.
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is the accidental release of urine. It can happen when you cough, laugh, sneeze, or jog. Or you may have a sudden need to go to the bathroom but can't get there in time. Bladder control problems are very common, especially among older adults. They usually don't cause major health problems, but they can be embarrassing.
Incontinence can be a short-term problem caused by a urinary tract infection, a medicine, or constipation. It gets better when you treat the problem that is causing it. But in majority, it is an ongoing problem
There are two main kinds of urinary incontinence. Some women-especially older women-have both.
Stress incontinence occurs when you sneeze, cough, laugh, jog, or do other things that put pressure on the bladder. It is the most common type of bladder control problem in women.
Urge incontinence happens when they have a strong need to urinate but can't reach the toilet in time. This can happen even when the bladder is holding only a small amount of urine. Some women may have no warning before they accidentally leak urine. Other women may leak urine when they drink water or when they hear or touch running water.
What causes urinary incontinence?
Bladder control problems may be caused by:
Weak muscles in the lower urinary tract.
Problems or damage either in the urinary tract or in the nerves that control urination.
Stress incontinence can be caused by childbirth, weight gain, or other conditions that stretch the pelvic floor muscles. When these muscles can't support your bladder properly, the bladder drops down and pushes against the vagina. You can't tighten the muscles that close off the urethra. So urine may leak because of the extra pressure on the bladder when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or do other activities
Urge incontinence is caused by an overactive bladder muscle that pushes urine out of the bladder. It may be caused by irritation of the bladder, emotional stress, or brain conditions such as Parkinson's disease or stroke. Many times doctors don't know what causes it.
Investigations
Your doctor will examine you and may do some simple tests to look for the cause of your bladder control problem. Some of the commonly used tests are:
· Bladder diary Keep track of your symptoms and any leaking of urine with a bladder diary. This can help you and your doctor find the best treatment for you.
Urinalysis. A sample of urine is sent to a laboratory, where it's checked for signs of infection, traces of blood or other abnormalities.
Ultrasound also may be used to view other parts of the urinary tract or genitals to check for abnormalities.
Urodynamic testing. These tests measure pressure in the bladder when it's at rest and when it's filling. A catheter is introduced into your urethra and bladder to fill the bladder with water. Meanwhile, a pressure monitor measures and records the pressure within the bladder. This test helps measure the bladder strength and urinary sphincter health, and it's an important tool for distinguishing the type of incontinence
How is it treated?
Treatments are different for each person. They depend on the type of incontinence you have and how much it affects your life. The treatment may include exercises, bladder training, medicines or a combination of these. Some women may need surgery.
There are also some things you can do at home. In many cases, these lifestyle changes can be enough to control incontinence.
· Cut back on caffeine drinks, such as coffee and tea.
· Eat foods high in fiber to help avoid constipation
· Stay at a healthy weight.
· Try simple pelvic-floor exercises like Kegel exercises.
· Go to the bathroom at several set times each day, and wear clothes that you can remove easily. Make your path to the bathroom as clear and quick as you can.
If you have symptoms of urinary incontinence, don't be embarrassed to tell your doctor. Most people can be helped or cured.
How can you prevent urinary incontinence?
Strengthening your pelvic muscles with Kegel exercises may lower your risk for incontinence.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises. These exercises strengthen your urinary sphincter and pelvic floor muscles — the muscles that help control urination. Your doctor may recommend that you do these exercises frequently. They are especially effective for stress incontinence, but may also help urge incontinence.
To do pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegel exercises), imagine that you're trying to stop your urine flow. Squeeze the muscles you would use to stop urinating and hold for a count of three and repeat.
Medications
Often, medications are used in conjunction with behavioral techniques. Drugs commonly used to treat incontinence include:
Duloxetine is sometimes used to treat stress incontinence.
Drugs like Tolteradine and Oxybutinine are used. Possible side effects of these medications include dry mouth, constipation and blurred vision .Estrogen vaginal creams or patch may help to improve the tone and rejuvenate tissues in the urethra and vaginal areas.
Surgery
If other treatments aren't working, several surgical procedures have been developed to fix problems that cause urinary incontinence.
Some of the commonly used procedures include:
Sling procedures.
A sling procedure uses strips of synthetic material or mesh to create a pelvic sling or hammock around your bladder neck and urethra. The sling helps keep the urethra closed, especially when you cough or sneeze. Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) is a commonly used sling surgery. More than 85% of the persons get cured by this procedure.
Bladder neck suspension. This procedure is designed to provide support to your urethra and bladder neck — an area of thickened muscle where the bladder connects to the urethra. It involves an abdominal incision, so it's done using general or spinal anesthesia.
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