Medicines Which Cause Incontinence: An Introduction
If you have
urinary incontinence, one cause of your problem may be sitting in your medicine cabinet. Medicines (drugs) can cause people to lose bladder control.
Do not stop taking any medicine without talking to your doctor. If your medicine is causing your incontinence, your doctor may find another medicine. If you need to keep taking the same medicine, your doctor can help you find another way to regain bladder control.
Understanding the Bladder
Your bladder is a muscle shaped like a balloon. While the bladder stores urine, the muscle relaxes. When you go to the bathroom, the bladder muscle tightens to squeeze urine out of the bladder.
Two sphincter muscles surround a tube called the urethra. Urine leaves your body through this tube.
The sphincters keep the urethra closed by squeezing like rubber bands. Pelvic floor muscles under the bladder also help keep the urethra closed.
When the bladder is full, nerves in your bladder send a signal to the brain. That's when you get the urge to go to the bathroom.
Once you reach the toilet, your brain tells the sphincter and pelvic floor muscles to relax. This allows urine to pass through the urethra. The brain signal also tells the bladder to tighten up. This squeezes urine out of the bladder.
Bladder control means you urinate only when you want to. For good bladder control, all parts of your system must work together:
- Pelvic muscles must hold up the bladder and urethra
- Sphincter muscles must open and shut the urethra
- Nerves must control the muscles of the bladder and pelvic floor.
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