One of the things that most people worry about aging is the possibility of experiencing urinary incontinence. As it turns out, many of us believe this kind of bladder problem only occurs when we reach our senior years. But is that really the case? Is incontinence a medical problem we should be scared of?
According to the National Association for Continence, at least 200 million people worldwide are suffering from urinary incontinence. In the United States, 25 million adults experience transient or chronic incontinence. Majority of whom are women.
The best way to deal with urinary incontinence is to learn more about it and know the different treatment options available. If you have a friend or relative with this dilemma you would better understand what they are going through and offer support when you have an idea why it happens in the first place.
What is Urinary Incontinence
Experts define urinary incontinence as the loss of bladder control. It strikes both sexes, regardless of age, but more common in women and people older than 50 years old. Contrary to the popular belief that incontinence is a disease, it is in fact a symptom of an underlying condition.
In the book A Woman’s Guide to Urinary Incontinence, Dr. Rene Genadry and Dr. Jacek L. Mostwin enumerated the several causes of urinary incontinence as follows:
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Menopause
- Diabetes
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stroke
- Spinal injuries
- Injuries to the pelvic region
- Obesity
- Pelvic surgery
- Medications
Incontinence can also be triggered by infection, nerve damage, bladder irritation, and overhydration. Even food some of the food you eat (e.g. alcohol, carbonated drinks, tea, and coffee) can cause temporary incontinence. The amount of urine leakage vary from just a few drops to heavy volume.
Risk Factors
The common perception is that incontinence presents itself when people get older. But age is only one of the many factors that increases a person’s risk of developing urinary incontinence.
Women are at more likely than men to experience stress incontinence due to pregnancy and child birth. However, men with prostate gland problems are at higher risk to have urge and overflow incontinence.
Being overweight is another risk factor because it increases the pressure on your bladder and surrounding muscles. As your muscles weaken, urine leaks out when you cough or sneeze.
Smoking is also a known risk factor of incontinence. If you are already diagnosed with having incontinence, smoking can aggravate your problem.
Recognizing Urinary Incontinence
There are several different types of urinary incontinence. Knowing what type of incontinence you have will greatly help in determining the kind of treatment you must undergo.
1. Stress incontinence – the most common type of urinary incontinence. It happens because of sudden pressure on your lower stomach muscle, such as laughing, coughing, sneezing, lifting, jogging, jumping, or exercising.
2. Urge incontinence – also called “overactive bladder.” It is characterized by a sudden, intense urge to urinate. Urine leakage may occur during sleep, after drinking water, or touching running water. This type of incontinence is more common in elderly.
3. Overflow incontinence – occurs because of a person’s inability to empty his/her bladder. It usually happens to people with damaged bladder, nerve damage or blocked urethra.
4. Functional incontinence – a type of incontinence that is normally seen in people with physical or mental disability. Their condition prevents them from making it to a toilet in time.
5. Transient incontinence – a urinary incontinence that occurs for a short period of time as a result of an illness. This problem goes away when the illness has been treated.
6. Mixed incontinence – involves two or more types of incontinence listed above.
Getting Help
Incontinence is never an easy topic to discuss with friends, relatives, or a family doctor. When you are suffering from it you’ll inevitably feel a sense of embarrassment and distress which could force you to withdraw from your social circle. But bringing your problem to a professional health care practitioner can go a long way. Instead of having to suffer in silence you can find an ally in your doctor.
If you are worried that you may have urinary incontinence one of the first things you can do is to jot down all incontinence-related symptoms you are experiencing. Take note of the medicines you were taking as well as any life changes or stresses you were going through lately.
Questions to Ask Doctor
As it is, doctors are busy people. They won’t have plenty of time to accommodate you on your scheduled appointment, so might as well prepare a list of question to ask. Here are a few inquiries you can bring up.
- Are my symptoms a result of urinary incontinence?
- What type of incontinence do I have?
- What kind of tests do I need?
- Is my incontinence temporary?
- What treatments are available?
- Are there dietary restrictions I must follow while undergoing treatment?
- How long before I could see improvements in my condition?
- What are other ways to manage my urinary incontinence?
Building Support System
People with urinary incontinence often find it easier to hide their problem than talk about it openly. They feel that unloading their burden is going to alienate them from friends, family, and colleagues. To prevent this from happening they would carry on with their lives as if nothing is bothering them. However, experts agree that this approach will not improve the condition of an incontinent person.
It is important to realize that incontinence can be partially or totally corrected when addressed properly. If you have a strong feeling that you may have urinary incontinence don’t hesitate to seek medical advice. Bring your concern to a doctor. Confide with a friend or a family member. Talk with a counselor or locate incontinence support groups in your community.
On the other hand, if you know someone who’s braving urinary incontinence, let him/her know you’re there whenever that person needs you. Immediate medical attention, appropriate treatment, and a solid support group can all do wonders for the incontinent person.
Ref:
Mayo Clinic
National Association for Continence
FamilyDoctor.org
WomensHealth.gov
A Woman’s Guide to Urinary Incontinence
Read more at >> What to Do When Urinary Incontinence Invades Your Life
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