URINARY INCONTINENCE
Loss Of Bladder Control
Loss of bladder control is a frustrating problem for millions of Americans
- Never knowing when and where you might have an accident can affect everything from work
to exercise to your social life - Urinary incontinence happens to both men & women but is more common in women
- Studies show that at least half of older women may have some form of incontinence
The main symptom of incontinence is when you pee unexpectedly
- When and how depends on the type of incontinence
- If you leak a bit when you laugh, cough, sneeze, jog, or lift something heavy, you may have stress incontinence
- This is the most common bladder control problem in younger women
Stress Incontinence Causes
- Stress incontinence happens when the muscles & tissue around the opening of the bladder
get weak - When there is more pressure against the bladder & this opening doesn't stay closed,
leakage happens - Pressure from coughing or laughing may be all it takes to leak urine
- Muscles can lose strength & may be stretched by
1. Weight gain
2. A sports injury
3. Pregnancies
4. Vaginal childbirths
Urge Incontinence Symptoms
- If you often have a desperate need to pee but can't get to the bathroom in time,
you may have urge incontinence - The sudden urge can come from hearing the sound of running water or sipping a drink
- With this type of incontinence, you may leak large amounts of urine
- You may also find yourself running to the bathroom even when your bladder is mostly empty
Urge Incontinence Causes
- A sudden, overwhelming need to pee might be caused by spasms of the bladder muscles
- These spasms can come from nerve or muscle damage
- The damage might come from an illness like a stroke, an infection or inflammation of the
bladder
Overactive Bladder
- Overactive bladder is another name for urge incontinence
- You get the same sudden, frequent need to pee
- But not everyone with overactive bladder has incontinence
- Many women are able to “hold it” until they get to the toilet
- Instead of leaking urine, the big problem for them is constantly having to stop what they're
doing to run to the bathroom
Medications That Worsen Incontinence
- There are several medicines that can cause incontinence or make it worse
- In women, some high blood pressure medicines can relax the bladder muscles, leading to
stress incontinence - Some types of anti-depressants can make incontinence worse, although some may relieve
the symptoms - Diuretics or 'water pills' create more urine, which can add to the problem
Emotional Toll of Incontinence
- Incontinence is not dangerous, but it can wear you down
- Research shows that women with incontinence have lower self-esteem,
a less active sex life & higher levels of depression compared to those with healthy bladders - You might want to stay home instead of going to social events
- Incontinence can be managed or even reversed
Diagnosing Incontinence
- The first step is to find out exactly what kind of incontinence you have
- Your doctor will ask about your medical history & probably
ask for a urine sample to check
for a urinary tract infection - Then you may be asked to stand & cough which is a way to signal stress incontinence
- You may also be asked to keep a diary showing how much you drink, how much you pee &
how often you leak
Diagnosing Incontinence With Tests
- There are several tests to help pinpoint the cause of incontinence
- Ultrasound imagery can show how the bladder & urethra change when you pee or cough
- A pad test shows how much urine you pass throughout the day
- A bladder stress test helps check for stress incontinence
- Cystometry measures bladder pressure & can help diagnose urge incontinence
- An MRI scan may show problems that can't be seen with other tests
Managing Mild Incontinence
- Many women with mild incontinence can stop leaks by drinking less
- Try pouring your cups half-full & stay away from coffee, tea & sodas with caffeine
- Caffeine can create more urine which make you go more often
- Another strategy is to empty your bladder regularly, every two to four hours
whether you need to go or not
Kegel Exercises
- Because stress incontinence comes from weak pelvic muscles, you should try to strengthen those muscles
- You can do this with Kegel exercises
1. Clench the muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine
2. Hold the squeeze for 10 seconds, then relax
3. Do three or four sets every day
4. As these muscles get stronger, so will your bladder control
Bladder Training
- Bladder training can be help with both stress incontinence & urge incontinence
- The first step is to make a chart of what times you go to the bathroom & when you leak
- After studying the patterns, you can avoid accidents by heading to the bathroom before
a leak might happen - It's also possible to train your bladder to hold out for longer & longer periods between
bathroom visits
Incontinence Products
- Products like panty liners, adult diapers & plastic-coated underwear might help
- You can find products like these in drugstores or medical supply stores
- Protective bedding, such as a plastic mattress protector, may also be useful
Preventing Incontinence
- There are ways to lower your risk of incontinence
- Keep a healthy weight & do daily Kegel exercises
- If you smoke, try to quit
- Smoking can lead to chronic coughing, which can stress the bladder and cause leaks.
♦♦♦♦♦
Return to Health Directory
♦♦♦♦♦
Copyright © 2012 - 2017 KosherWoman.com
All rights reserved