Urinary incontinence is a common and often embarrassing problem that can be upsetting and even frightening. Problems with bladder control can happen at any time in your life. It’s very important to remember that it’s not just older women or those who’ve given birth who experience urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence affects all types of women – younger, older, athletic, and not-so-athletic. Not only does urinary incontinence affect the quality of life for women, but it also takes a toll on a family’s finances. I’m sure many of us have had to deal with some level of urinary incontinence at some point. Urinary incontinence can be caused by hormonal changes, pregnancy, childbirth, bladder infection, medication side effects, weak muscles, or just plain everyday lifestyle.
What is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional loss of urine. It can happen for many reasons, including pregnancy, childbirth, aging, certain medications, bladder damage due to surgery, or an accident that affects the pelvic floor muscles or nerves that control urination. Urinary Incontinence and UTI Treatment – What is the Connection? Experts and urologists are always finding new ways to treat urinary incontinence, but research shows that there are many preventative steps you can take to reduce your risk of urinary incontinence, and even some natural remedies. The most common causes of urinary incontinence are stress, urge, and mixed.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Urinary tract infections can also be a symptom of a larger problem. A urine infection is also known as urinary tract infection (UTI ), cystitis, or urinary tract infection (UTI).’ The most common symptom is pain when urinating, but other symptoms include a burning sensation while urinating, an urgent need to urinate, and difficulty controlling urine flow. If you have bladder or urinary symptoms, you should see a doctor. Urinary incontinence, or uncontrolled urination, is common but embarrassing and complex. It is estimated that around 30 million Americans have some degree of urinary incontinence, though only 5 to 10 percent of them actually seek treatment
Common Types of Incontinence
There are three common types of incontinence: stress, urge, and mixed. Stress incontinence is the result of muscles in your pelvic floor becoming too weak to close your bladder when it’s under pressure, like when you sneeze or laugh. Urge incontinence happens when you sense that you need to urinate, but can’t get to a toilet quickly enough; this is also often the case for mixed incontinence. Mixed incontinence is most commonly caused by problems with both your bladder and bowel – like following surgery on these organs.
A person who has trouble with bladder control is considered to be incontinent. The most common type of bladder problem is stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which occurs when urine leaks out of the bladder because the sphincter muscle weakens during exercise or coughing.
Who is at Risk for Incontinence?
Incontinence is a common symptom of several diseases, including diabetes, menopause, and Parkinson’s disease. Aging can also cause bladder control problems. Additionally, if you have had surgery in the pelvic area or spinal cord, you may experience urinary incontinence or problems with bowel control. The muscles that control urine flow work together to store and release urine. When these muscles are working right, you won’t have any problems.
How to Improve Your Bladder control
There are many ways to improve the quality of my life with incontinence. You can go on medication to help control the pain and swelling in the bladder. You can also try pelvic floor therapy, which may help increase bladder control by strengthening the muscles that hold my bladder in place.
A|so read: Pelvic Floor Exercises For Women For Muscle Strengthening
Treatments for Incontinence
The quality of life can be improved if you know about the treatments that are available for urinary incontinence. Pelvic floor therapy can help regain some of the bladder control by strengthening the muscle that holds it in. But other options can include:
- Behavioral techniques which include bladder training, fluid, and dietary intakes
- Medications like alpha-blockers, topical estrogen
- Surgery options like sling procedures, bladder neck suspension, artificial urinary sphincter
- Interventional therapies like Botox and nerve stimulators
- Electrical stimulation
- Medical devices like urethral inserts and pessaries
- Absorbent pads and catheters
There are a lot of resources for those who suffer from bladder control problems. The first step is to see your doctor (urologist or gynaecologist) and make sure there isn’t a medical issue causing the problem. If there isn’t, it’s best to speak with a pelvic floor specialist. These specialists can give you techniques for dealing with incontinence, as well as exercises that will strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.