Urinary incontinence is a common problem that affects many people. Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. Individuals who suffer from urinary incontinence will urinate when they do not want to. Here are some key points about urinary incontinence.
Causes:
Urinary incontinence can result from both urologic and non-urologic causes. Urologic causes can be classified as either bladder or urethral dysfunction and may include detrusor overactivity, poor bladder compliance, urethral hypermobility, or intrinsic sphincter deficiency. Non-urologic causes may include infection, medication or drugs, psychological factors, polyuria, stool impaction, and restricted mobility.
Symptoms:
- leaking urine during everyday activities, such as lifting, bending, coughing, or exercising
- feeling a sudden, strong urge to urinate right away
- leaking urine without any warning or urge
- being unable to reach a toilet in time
- wetting your bed during sleep
Types:
There are different types of incontinence with a number of possible causes. The following are the most common:
- stress incontinence
- urge incontinence
- functional incontinence
- overflow incontinence
- mixed urinaryincontinence
Treatments:
Treatments will depend on several factors such as the type of incontinence, its severity, the underlying cause, the patient’s age, general health, and their mental state. Normally, a combination of treatments may be needed.
1, Behavioral Techniques:
Bladder training, to delay urination after you get the urge to go.
Double voiding, to help you learn to empty your bladder more completely to avoid overflow incontinence.
Toilet timetable,to schedule bathroom at set times during the day, for example, every 2 hours.
2, Medications:
Medications commonly used to treat incontinence are including anticholinergics, mirabegron (myrbetriq), alpha blockers and topical estrogen.
3, Medical Devices:
Devices designed to treat women with incontinence include:
Urethral inserts
Pessary
Radiofrequency therapy
4, Interventional Therapies:
Interventional therapies that may help with incontinence include:
Bulking material injections
(botulinum toxin type A)
Sacral nerve stimulator
5, Surgery:
Surgery is an option if other therapies do not work. The following are several surgical procedures that can treat the problems caused by urinary incontinence:
Sling procedures
Bladder neck suspension
Prolapse surgery
Artificial urinary sphincter
6, Other Options:
If medical treatments can’t completely eliminate your incontinence, you can try products that help ease the discomfort and inconvenience of leaking urine:
Urinary Catheter: A tube that goes from the bladder, through the urethra, out of the body into a bag which collects urine.
Absorbent pads: A wide range of absorbent pads is available to purchase at pharmacies and supermarkets, as well as online.
Posted on March 24, 2023