What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence or involuntary leakage of urine means that a person urinates when he does not want to. This disorder is very common, and contrary to popular belief, women more than men suffer from this problem. In addition, it can be said that urinary incontinence is not limited to the elderly or is not a sign of disability.
Table of Contents
- 1 What is urinary incontinence?
- 2 What causes urinary incontinence?
- 3 Which physiologic change in the elderly population contributes to urinary incontinence?
- 4 When to see the doctor
- 5 Treating urinary incontinence: non-surgical approaches
- 6 How to prevent
- 7 What is stress urinary incontinence?
- 8 What are the signs and symptoms of urinary incontinence?
- 9 What is the reason for uncontrolled urination?
- 10 What are the types of urinary incontinence?
- 11 Is Urinary Incontinence the Same as an “Overactive Bladder”?
- 12 What Should I Expect When I Visit My Doctor for Urine Incontinence?
- 13 Can Medications Help Urine Incontinence?
- 14 Is Surgery An Option for Urine Incontinence?
- 15 Our services in Las Vegas
What causes urinary incontinence?
Causes of urinary incontinence are:
- Damage to the muscles that prevent urination
- Overactivity of muscle involved in bladder control
- Obstruction in the bladder that prevents fully emptying of the bladder
- Problems such as spinal injury and fistula
Which physiologic change in the elderly population contributes to urinary incontinence?
Risk factors that increase the likelihood of urinary incontinence include:
- Pregnancy
- Vaginal delivery
- Increasing age
- Obesity
- Family history
When to see the doctor
As mentioned, urinary incontinence is a common problem, and you should not be embarrassed to talk about your symptoms. Depending on whether the vagina or penis is involved, your doctor may perform pelvic or rectal examinations to diagnose urinary incontinence. In addition, your doctor may also suggest that you keep a diary of how much fluid you drink and how often you urinate.
Treating urinary incontinence: non-surgical approaches
Depending on the type and cause of urinary incontinence, surgical methods may be chosen for treatment. But non-invasive methods are always at the forefront of treatment. The good news is that urinary incontinence can be controlled through some simple measures:
- Lifestyle changes: such as weight loss and cutting down caffeine intake
- Pelvic floor muscle exercises such as kegel: these exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles
- Bladder training: ways to wait longer between needing to urinate and passing urine
How to prevent
It is not always possible to prevent this common problem, but some simple steps can reduce the risk:
- Keep your weight in a healthy range
- Reduce alcohol consumption
- Keep your pelvic floor muscles strong through exercise
What is stress urinary incontinence?
Stress Urinary Incontinence or SUI is the leakage of urine when abdominal pressure increases due to physical activity:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Laughing
- Running
- Lifting heavy objects
- Exercise
- Having sex
- Bending over
The above items are the instances that could cause SUI. They put pressure on the bladder.
Remember that you might not experience SUI after each of the above physical activities. They just put pressure on your ladder and make SUI possible. It is particularly true when your bladder is full.
The most common sort of urinary incontinence in women is the SUI. Contrary to popular belief, SUI is not related to psychological stress.
SUI might happen when pelvic tissues and muscles become weak and allow the bladder “neck”.
Stress incontinence happens when the muscles and other tissues that support the urethra lose strength. It could become weak due to;
- Childbirth
- Prostate surgery
There are some factors that make the SUI worse:
- Obesity
- Whatever increases coughing (smoking)
- Heavy and strenuous physical activity over the years.
- Illnesses that create chronic cough.
What are the signs and symptoms of urinary incontinence?
Common signs and symptoms of urinary incontinence include:
- Urinating while sleeping
- Repeated urination
- Feeling instant, unpredictable or uncontrollable need to urinate
- Persistent wake up to urine at night.
- Leaking urine when bending, coughing, doing exercise, sneezing, laughing,
What is the reason for uncontrolled urination?
The reasons of urinary incontinence area as follows:
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Constipation
- Chronic bladder inflammation
- Physical problems
- Nerve damage (affecting bladder control)
- Side effects from a prior surgery
- Underlying medical conditions
- Neurological disorders
- Everyday habits
What are the types of urinary incontinence?
Types of urinary incontinence include:
Stress incontinence
In this type, when you put pressure on your bladder, urine leaks. The pressures mentioned on this page include coughing, bending over, having sex, sneezing, or picking up something heavy.
Urge incontinence
Your body has a urination need that then comes the involuntary loss of urine. For example, you might have to urine several times during the day and night while sleeping. It could be caused by an infection or a severe condition such as diabetes or neurological disorder.
Overflow incontinence
As the bladder doesn’t empty, you frequently experience dribbling urine.
Functional incontinence
In this type, the patient is not able to get to the bathroom in time. Often a physical or mental impairment prevents him/her from doing so. Arthritis or Parkinson’s are examples that make it hard for the patient to unbutton pants quickly enough.
Mixed incontinence
The patient suffers from more than one type of particular incontinence.
Reflex
Reflex incontinence also gets called spastic bladder. When the bladder fills with urine, an involuntary reflex causes it to contract in an effort to empty.
Is Urinary Incontinence the Same as an “Overactive Bladder”?
An “overactive bladder” (OAB) is distinguished by an urgent and frequent desire to pee. Urinary incontinence may or may not be included. To diagnose OAB, urine incontinence, or a mix of the two, your doctor will most likely conduct a complete medical history and a pelvic exam.
What Should I Expect When I Visit My Doctor for Urine Incontinence?
Your doctor will conduct a thorough medical history and ask you to explain or demonstrate any signs and symptoms you’ve observed.
Occasionally, doctors will ask patients to keep a bladder diary for many days. This can offer valuable information on the frequency, intensity, and volume of urine generated.
Your doctor may perform a pelvic exam to look for pelvic organ prolapse or other anatomical reasons that might cause urine incontinence.
Lastly, to better understand the cause of urine incontinence, your doctor may employ diagnostic techniques such as imaging and bladder function testing.
Can Medications Help Urine Incontinence?
Yes. A variety of effective drugs are available to treat this problem. Many of these drugs help relieve urinary incontinence caused by muscle spasms and unwanted bladder contractions. Some injections prevent unwanted bladder contractions, and they can last between 3 and 9 months.
Another medicine relaxes the bladder muscle, allowing the bladder to hold more pee, and is beneficial in treating urge incontinence.
Is Surgery An Option for Urine Incontinence?
Your doctor may propose a surgical operation best to manage your urine incontinence after a complete assessment to establish the kind and origin of the problem. There are several successful approaches; however, the following are the most common:
- Sling surgery. This surgery involves inserting a thin strap composed of either your tissue or synthetic material to elevate and support the urethra.
- Urethral Bulking. A synthetic material is injected into the tissue around the urethra, narrowing and thickening the urethral aperture.
- Colposuspension. The urethra is raised and kept in place with sutures linked to surrounding, supportive tissues on each side of the bladder neck.
Other methods, such as those that use surrounding nerve tissue to regulate the bladder or a therapy akin to acupuncture known as percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, or PTNS, may be beneficial in treating your form of urine incontinence. Your doctor will discuss the specifics with you if these treatments are indicated.
Our services in Las Vegas
We help you alleviate the symptoms of urinary incontinence through the following:
- Choosing the right diet that is high in fiber
- Pelvic floor exercises
- Bladder training
- Training in good toilet hab
If you do not know if our services are right for you, our advisor provides helpful information you look for when making healthcare decisions. So feel free to contact us.
You can get information about other Home Assist services.
The grandpa felt bad about his incontinence but with a skilled nurse’s help, he is feeling and becoming better.
How can a caregiver help my mom suffering from urinary incontinence?
The caregiver can provide bathroom tips, encourage changes in diet and fluid intake, take care of constipation, and different habit related changes.