Urinary incontinence is not only a health issue. It can affect emotional, psychological and social life. Lots of folks who have urinary incontinence hesitate to undertake normal day-to-day activities. They don't want to be too far from a toilet. Urinary incontinence can keep men and women from enjoying life.
Lots of folks think urinary incontinence is just an aspect of growing older. But it's not. And it may be managed or treated by a urology expert like those at Metropolitan Urological Specialists in Saint Louis, MO. Learn more here. Talk to a physician. Discover what treatment is best for you.
Key Statistics
Studies suggest that many things increase risk. For instance, aging is linked to urinary incontinence. Pregnancy, delivery, and number of children raise the risk in women. Women who have had a little one have higher rates of urinary incontinence. The risk boosts with the number of kids. This is true for cesarean section (c-section) and vaginal delivery.
Ladies who get urinary incontinence whilst expecting are more probable to have it later. Women following menopause (whose periods have ceased) may cultivate urinary incontinence. This may result from the drop in estrogen (the female sex hormone). Taking estrogen, however, has not been demonstrated to help urinary incontinence.
Men who have prostate cancer are also at increased risk. Some medicines are connected to urinary incontinence and some medications make it much worse. Statistics reveal that poor overall health also increases hazard. Diabetes, stroke, hypertension and smoking cigarettes are also connected.
Obesity raises the danger of urinary incontinence. Losing weight can enhance bladder function and lessen urinary incontinence symptoms.
What happens usually?
The brain and the bladder control urinary functionality. The bladder stores urine up until you are ready to empty it. The muscles inside the lower part of the pelvis keep the bladder in position. Typically, the smooth muscle of the bladder is relaxed. This holds the urine inside the bladder. The neck (end) of the bladder is shut. The sphincter muscles are closed around the urethra. The urethra is the pipe which carries urine out of the body. When the sphincter muscles keep the urethra closed, urine doesn't leak.
Whenever you are ready to urinate, the mind transmits a signal to the bladder. After that the bladder muscles contract. This compels the urine out through the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the body. The sphincters open up whenever the bladder contracts.
What are the kinds of urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is not a disease. It is a manifestation of numerous conditions. Causes may vary for males and females, but it is not hereditary or a normal aspect of getting old. These are the four types of urinary incontinence that are identified in Saint Louis, Creve Coeur, Florissant, and Kirkwood, MO:
Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
With SUI, weak pelvic muscles let urine escape. It is among the most frequent types of urinary incontinence. It is common in older women. It is less prevalent in men.
SUI happens when the pelvic floor muscles have stretched. Exercise puts pressure on the bladder. Then the bladder leaks. Leaking may occur with exercise, walking, bending, lifting, or perhaps sneezing and coughing. It might be a couple of drops of urine to a tablespoon or even more. SUI can be mild, moderate or severe.
There are absolutely no FDA authorized medicines to treat SUI yet, but there are things you may do. Ways to manage SUI include "Kegel" exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor. Lifestyle changes, vaginal and urethral devices, pads, and even surgery are other methods to manage SUI.
Overactive Bladder (OAB)
OAB is one more common form of urinary incontinence. It is also called "urgency" incontinence. OAB impacts more than 30% of men and 40% of women within the U.S. It impacts people's lives. They may limit activities. They might fear they will suddenly need to urinate when they aren't near a restroom. They might not even have the opportunity to get a good night's sleep. Certain people have both SUI and OAB and this is called mixed incontinence.
With OAB, your brain tells your bladder to empty - even when it isn't really full. Or the bladder muscles are too active. They tighten (squeeze) to pass urine before your bladder is full. This results in the impulse (need) to urinate.
The main sign of OAB is the sudden urge to urinate. You cannot control or brush off this "got ta go" sensation. Another sign is needing to urinate many times throughout the day and night.
OAB is more likely in men with prostate issues and in ladies after menopause. It is caused by many things. Even diet can influence OAB. There are a number of treatments. They consist of lifestyle changes, drugs that unwind the bladder muscle, or surgery. Some people have both SUI and OAB.
Mixed Incontinence (SUI and OAB)
Some people leak urine with activity (SUI) and frequently feel the urge to urinate (OAB). This is mixed incontinence. The individual has both SUI and OAB.
Overflow Incontinence
With overflow incontinence, the body makes more urine than the bladder can hold or the bladder is full and can not empty thus causing it to leak urine. Additionally, there may be something preventing the flow or the bladder muscle may not contract (squeeze) as it should.
One sign is frequent urinating of a tiny amount. Another symptom is a constant drip, called "dribbling."
This type of urinary incontinence is rare in women. It is a lot more common in men who have prostate problems or have had prostate surgery.
Regardless of what kind of urinary incontinence you suffer from, you do not need to suffer forever. The experts at Metropolitan Urological Specialists have years of experience serving patients with urinary incontinence in Crestwood, MO, Chesterfield, and Washington, along with the surrounding areas. Please consider reaching out to them if you have questions about how to treat this or any other urological health problem.
Info Credit: Urologyhealth.org
