What Is Urinary Incontinence?
Loss of bladder control is called urinary incontinence. It can happen to anyone, but is very common in older people. More than 13 million people in the United State -- male and female, young and old -- experience urinary incontinence. It is often temporary, and always results from an underlying medical condition.
Symptoms can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. Women are more likely than men to have urinary incontinence.
If you experience urinary incontinence, you may feel embarrassed. It may help you to remember that loss of bladder control can be treated. You will need to overcome your embarrassment and see a doctor to learn if you need treatment for an underlying medical condition.
Understanding Bladder Control
The body stores urine in the bladder. During urination, muscles in the bladder contract or tighten. This forces urine out of the bladder and into a tube called the urethra that carries urine out of the body. At the same time, muscles surrounding the urethra relax and let the urine pass through. Spinal nerves control how these muscles move. Urinary incontinence occurs if the bladder muscles contract, or the muscles surrounding the urethra relax without warning.
Urinary incontinence can occur for many reasons, such as:
Sometimes urinary incontinence lasts longer. Urinary incontinence might be due to other problems such as:
Aging does not cause urinary incontinence.
Types of Urinary Incontinence
- Stress incontinence
- Urge incontinence (overactive bladder)
- Overflow incontinence
- Functional incontinence.
Stress Incontinence
Stress incontinence happens when urine leaks during activities, including:
- Exercise
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Laughing
- Lifting heavy objects
- Other body movements that put pressure on the bladder.
This type of urinary incontinence is the most common type of bladder control problem in younger and middle-aged women. In some cases, urinary incontinence is related to childbirth. Stress urinary incontinence may also begin around the time of
menopause.
Urge Incontinence
Urge incontinence (also known as
overactive bladder) happens when people can't hold their urine long enough to get to the toilet in time. Healthy people can have urge incontinence, but it is often found in people who have:
This type of urinary incontinence is also sometimes an early sign of
bladder cancer.
Overflow Incontinence
Overflow incontinence happens when small amounts of urine leak from a bladder that is always full. A man can have trouble emptying his bladder if an
enlarged prostate is blocking the urethra. Diabetes and spinal cord injury can also cause this type of urinary incontinence.
Functional Incontinence
Functional incontinence occurs in many older people who have normal bladder control. They just have a hard time getting to the toilet in time, because of
arthritis or other disorders that make it difficult to move quickly.
The first step in treating urinary incontinence is to see a doctor. In order for your doctor to make a urinary incontinence diagnosis, he or she will give you a physical exam and ask about your medical history. The doctor will also ask about your symptoms, and the medicines you use. He or she will want to know if you have been sick recently, or had surgery. Your doctor may also do a number of tests. These tests might include:
- Urine and blood tests
- Tests that measure how well you empty your bladder.
In addition, your doctor may ask you to keep a daily diary of when you urinate, and when you leak urine. Your pattern of urinating and urine leakage may suggest which type of incontinence you have.
Today, there are more urinary incontinence treatment options than ever before. The choice of urinary incontinence treatment depends on:
- The type of bladder control problem you have
- How serious it is
- What best fits your lifestyle.
Different urinary incontinence treatment options may include:
- Bladder or habit training
- Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or cutting out certain foods
- Devices, such as a pessary (a ring placed in the vagina to support the urethra), or urine seals
- Medications
- Surgery.
As a general rule, the simplest and safest urinary incontinence treatments should be tried first.
Many people with bladder control problems hide the problem from everyone, even their doctor. There is no need to do that. In most cases, urinary incontinence can be treated and controlled, if not cured. If you are having urinary incontinence, don't suffer in silence. Talk to your doctor
