What is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary Incontinence also known as UI, is defined as having trouble controlling your bladder, with the inability to prevent urine leaking. This can range from small leaks now and then to more serious problems with frequent or heavy leaking. UI can unfortunately happen to anybody, but it’s more common in women, especially those over 50 years old. The effects can vary from being a minor inconvenience to something that seriously disrupts your daily life and confidence. There are three main types of urinary incontinence:
- Stress Incontinence: You leak urine when certain activities put pressure on your bladder; like coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising.
- Urge Incontinence: Also called an overactive bladder, this is when you get a sudden strong urge to urinate that’s hard to control, leading to leaks.
- Overflow Incontinence: This occurs when your bladder doesn’t fully empty and becomes too full, causing urine to leak out.
- Functional Incontinence: This type occurs when physical or mental challenges prevent you from getting to the restroom in time.
- Mixed Incontinence: This involves experiencing more than one type of urinary incontinence. Like a combination of stress incontinence (leaking due to physical pressure on the bladder) and urge incontinence (a sudden, intense urge to urinate).
Understanding and managing urinary incontinence is important to keep the problem from getting worse and to help you regain control of your life.
What Causes Urinary Incontinence?
There are a variety of causes for urinary incontinence, and you can speak to a medical professional – like the team here at Incontinence Centers of America – to help identify the root cause of yours. Some of the most common include:
- Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles: These muscles support your bladder. They can weaken from childbirth, aging, or surgery.
- Hormonal Changes: For women, menopause can lower hormone levels, affecting bladder control.
- Bladder Irritations or Infections: Infections or conditions like interstitial cystitis can inflame the bladder and cause leaks.
- Nerve Issues: Diseases like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s, or damage from a stroke, can mess with the nerves that control your bladder.
- Prostate Problems: In men, issues with the prostate, like enlargement or surgery, can affect bladder control.
- Medications: Some medicines, especially those that make you urinate more or affect bladder function, can lead to leaks.
- Chronic Conditions: Conditions like diabetes can interfere with bladder control by affecting nerves or causing frequent trips to the bathroom.
- Lifestyle Factors: Drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, being overweight, or smoking can make incontinence worse.
- Weak or Overactive Bladder Muscles: Sometimes, the muscles that control your bladder can be too weak or too active. If they contract too often, it can lead to a strong, uncontrollable urge to urinate (urge incontinence). Also, not drinking enough fluids can cause concentrated urine that irritates the bladder.
- Blockages: Things like tumors, urinary stones, or other obstructions in the bladder or urinary tract can block the normal flow of urine. This can prevent the bladder from emptying completely, leading to frequent leaks or dribbles (overflow incontinence).
Understanding the cause of your urinary incontinence helps your doctor determine the most effective treatment to address the issue and improve your condition.
What Are The Symptoms Of Urinary Incontinence?
The symptoms of urinary incontinence can vary depending on the type and severity, but common signs include:
- Frequent Urination: Feeling the need to urinate more often than usual, including during the night.
- Urgent Need to Urinate: Experiencing a sudden, strong uncontrollable urge to urinate.
- Leaking Urine: Unintentional leakage of urine, which can range from small dribbles to larger leaks. Which can disrupt normal activities like work or sleeping.
- Difficulty Holding Urine: Struggling to hold urine until you can reach the restroom, leading to accidents.
- Leakage with Physical Activity: Leaking urine due to certain activities that put pressure on the bladder, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising.
- Inability to Fully Empty the Bladder: Feeling like your bladder is still full even after urinating, leading to overflow leakage.
- Frequent Urgency During Sleep: Waking up multiple times during the night to go to the restroom.
- Dribbling After Urination: Experiencing small amounts of urine leaking right after going to the restroom.
Recognizing these symptoms is the first step towards managing and treating urinary incontinence effectively. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor like the team here at Incontinence Centers of America. We can provide a proper diagnosis and a custom treatment plan, to help prevent your condition from worsening.
What Treatment Options Are Available For Urinary Incontinence?
At Incontinence Centers of America, we offer several treatments for overactive bladder. One of the latest options is Axonics Therapy, which helps by targeting the nerves and muscles that control your bladder. This therapy has been very successful in improving bladder control, and helping patients regain their confidence and independence.
We also provide traditional treatments, including behavioral therapy and medications. Our team will work with you to create a treatment plan that fits your needs and goals.
