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All You Need To Know About Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence affects many people across the globe. Being unable to control your bladder is both uncomfortable and embarrassing. Hence, people with urinary incontinence suffer physically and psychologically. However, with a medical diagnosis, it possible to manage the condition. Below are the key insights about the causes, symptoms, and treatment care for urinary incontinence.

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is a medical condition where a patient is unable to control their bladder. One may experience minor urine leakage or complete emptying of the bladder. The condition can be temporary or long-term. 

Types of Urinary Incontinence

Temporary Urinary Incontinence

This category of urinary incontinence results from particular foods, drinks, and medication. For instance, drinks like caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks stimulate the bladder and increase urine volume. Foods with sugar, acid, spice, and some medication like sedatives can also trigger incontinence.  

Persistent Urinary Incontinence

Typically, pregnancy causes hormonal and weight changes leading to stress incontinence. Additionally, childbirth may weaken muscles, damage nerves, and lead to prolapses, which reduces bladder control. Then, aging and menopause aggravate incontinence due to weak bladder muscle. Finally, medical conditions like prostate cancer and neurological disorders cause obstruction and interfere with nerve signals that control the bladder.   

Risk Factors

Though urinary incontinence can affect anyone, the risk factors appear more in certain people. For starters, the condition is more prevalent among older people. Basically, as one ages, the ability to control the bladder decreases. Again, the risk of stress incontinence is high during pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. People who are overweight experience more pressure on their bladders, which weakens the bladder, leading to urine leaks. Alcohol and tobacco also increase the risk of the condition. Finally, family history and diseases like diabetes can also contribute to incontinence.

Healthcare Management for Urinary Incontinence

Preventive Care

Preventive care for urinary incontinence involves managing the risk factors. One should avoid gaining excess weight or consuming irritant foods or drinks. Again, it is advisable to eat more fiber and avoid smoking and alcohol.  

Bladder Training 

There are several ways to train your muscles and enhance bladder control. A patient can learn to delay urination when the urge arises. Alternatively, you can do double voiding, which means stopping urination momentarily. Also, one can create a toilet schedule. Such bladder training techniques increase control over the bladder.

Medication

A doctor may prescribe medications as a treatment for urinary incontinence. The medicines include anticholinergics to calm overactive bladders and imipramine, which acts as an antidepressant. Also, topical estrogen strengthens the urethra and vaginal muscle. Additionally, there are several medical devices available for use by women, such as urethral inserts, pessary, Botox, and sacral nerve stimulators. Such devices help to control the bladder and prevent urine leakage.

Surgery

Surgical procedures can also help to manage incontinence. For instance, doctors can insert a mesh through sling procedures to support the urethra and stop urine leaks. Again, inserting an artificial valve called a sphincter helps to control urine flow from the bladder. 

Urinary incontinence can cause discomfort and withdrawal from social interactions. You can overcome the physical and mental trauma by seeing a doctor for urinary incontinence treatment.


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