What Are The Treatments For Urinary Incontinence
Treatment depends on the type and cause of your UI. You may need a combination of treatments. Your provider may first suggest self-care treatments, including:
- Lifestyle changes to reduce leaks:
- Drinking the right amount of liquid at the right time
- Being physically active
- Staying at a healthy weigh
- Avoiding constipation
If these treatments do not work, your provider may suggest other options such as:
- Medicines, which can be used to
- Relax the bladder muscles, to help prevent bladder spasms
- Block nerve signals that cause urinary frequency and urgency
- In men, shrink the prostate and improve urine flow
Treating Incontinence In Young Adults
Urinary incontinence tends to be milder and more treatable for most otherwise-healthy young adults than for older individuals. This is partly because a younger persons tissues and muscles are stronger, more resilient, and extra responsive to conditioning.
Your incontinence treatment will depend on what is prompting your bladder control difficulties, but some remedies include:
From Leaking Urine To Sudden Urges To Go: An Ob
You dont have to suffer in silence there are many treatment options available.
Whether its a few drops of leaking urine or a complete emptying of the bladder, incontinence is a bladder control issue that women are twice as likely to have as men. And by the time a womanhas made an appointment to talk about what shes dealing with, she has had enough.
Incontinence can be embarrassing, super annoying, and costly. But you dont have to suffer in silence there are many treatment options available.
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Why Get Treatment For Loss Of Bladder Control
Bladder control problems can be embarrassing and can cause you to needlessly cut back on the activities that you enjoy. They may also be a sign of a serious underlying health condition. Bladder incontinence may be a symptom of kidney disease, diabetes, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, multiple sclerosis , and other diseases.
A Condition That Affects All Ages
When you think of Urinary Incontinence, you generally associate it with middle to old age. While many older people do experience Urinary Incontinence, it is also quite prevalent in young adults. There are so many reasons for young adults to acquire this condition, its more common than you would think.
According to the National Association for Continence, an estimated one third of Americans have experienced loss of bladder control at some point in their life. Apparently, 17% of those people are ages 30 39. Another Survey taken by the National Association for Continence reveals 24% of women ages 25 44 have experienced Urinary Incontinence. Researchers have found in a study of 1,000 women aged 16 to 30, who had never been pregnant, found one in eight had incontinence. The most common type of Urinary Incontinence found in women is Stress Urinary Incontinence.
While the statistics provided above discuss Urinary Incontinence in women, it greatly affects men as well. It is said that women experience bladder leakage twice as much as men. This may be due to the fact that men are less likely to report bladder leakage. Studies show that many young men would rather admit to impotence than incontinence. The most common type of Urinary Incontinence in young men is Overactive Bladder. It is very common. Almost more so than diabetes.
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Nonsurgical Treatment Options For Ui
Fortunately, there are several nonsurgical treatments for urinary incontinence. From training your bladder and pelvic floor exercises to using a urethral support device, there are different options you can try to manage your symptoms. We recommend discussing your options with a doctor before deciding on the best course of action.
In some cases, your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes to help manage and prevent the symptoms of urinary incontinence. These range from adjustments to your diet, to exercise habits to management techniques between bathroom breaks. Common nonsurgical treatments for urinary incontinence are:
Urinary Incontinence In Women: What You Need To Know
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Urinary incontinence is the accidental loss of urine.
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Over 25 million adult Americans experience temporary or chronic urinary incontinence.
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This condition can occur at any age, but it is more common in women over the age of 50.
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There are four types of urinary incontinence: urgency, stress, functional and overflow incontinence.
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Behavioral therapies, medications, nerve stimulation and surgery are some of the treatments available for managing urinary incontinence.
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Surgical Treatments For Ui
Bladder control surgery to treat stress incontinence is available and works by giving more support to the urethra. The support keeps you from leaking when pressure is put on your bladder or your urethra, putting you in control of when its time to go. There are also procedures available to treat urge incontinence.
Our doctors will help to decide if a procedure or surgery is the best option for you and will walk you through how it works as well as answer any questions you may have.
Do Regular Kegel Exercises
Once you find your pelvic floor muscles, you can complete regular Kegel exercises to strengthen them. Simply contract your pelvic floor muscles, hold them for five to ten seconds, and relax them. The Urology Care Foundation suggests that you complete at least two sessions of Kegel exercises per day. Up to 30 contractions per session.
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Treating The Root Cause
The underlying cause of incontinence in young people is sometimes a temporary condition, with the bladder control trouble only lasting as long as the underlying issue.
For example, if you have a urinary tract infection or bladder infection, your doctor will probably focus first on clearing up that problem. If a prolapsed bladder after a hysterectomy is causing your incontinence, corrective surgery may be able to tackle both issues.
Behavioral And Lifestyle Changes
Changing your lifestyle may help with bladder problems. Losing weight, quitting smoking, saying no to alcohol, choosing water instead of other drinks, and limiting drinks before bedtime can help with some bladder problems. Preventing constipation and avoiding lifting heavy objects may also help with incontinence. Even after treatment, some people still leak urine from time to time. There are bladder control products and other solutions, including disposable briefs or underwear, furniture pads, and urine deodorizing pills that may help.
Visit the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for more information on urinary incontinence in men and urinary incontinence in women.
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The Different Types Of Incontinence:
- Stress Incontinence: this is a very common type of bladder weakness often associated with sneezing, coughing, laughing, and jumping, where pressure on the abdomen pushes on the bladder and can lead to urine leakage.
- Urge Incontinence: Urge incontinence is the most common type of incontinence. You may suddenly feel you have a desperate need to go to the toilet. Urge incontinence is often experienced by menopausal women.
- Mixed Incontinence: This type of incontinence is caused by a mixture of both stress incontinence and urge incontinence.
- Overflow Incontinence: During overflow incontinence your bladder cannot empty completely. As a result, your bladder will fill up very quickly making you feel like you need to go to the bathroom very frequently. Leakage is common.
Learn More About Sudden Onset Urinary Incontinence
Dealing with sudden onset urinary incontinence is difficult, but it does not have to be forever.
The sooner you make an appointment to discuss this with your doctor, the sooner you can go back to living your life without worry.
To learn more about what treatments are best for you, contact us and schedule a consultation.
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What The Doctor Does
Doctors first ask questions about the person’s symptoms and medical history. Doctors then do a physical examination. What they find during the history and physical examination often suggests a cause of the incontinence and the tests that may need to be done.
Doctors ask questions about the circumstances of urine loss, including amount, time of day, and any precipitating factors . People are asked whether they can sense the need to urinate and, if so, whether the sensation is normal or comes with sudden urgency. Doctors may also ask the person to estimate the amount of urine leakage. Doctors will also ask whether the person has any additional problems with urination, such as pain or burning during urination, a frequent need to urinate, difficulty starting urination, or a weak urine stream.
Sometimes doctors may ask people to keep a record of their urination habits over a day or two. This record is called a voiding diary. Each time the person urinates, the volume and time are recorded. After an episode of incontinence, the person also records any related activities, especially eating, drinking, drug use, or sleep.
Although urodynamic testing is important, results do not always predict response to drug treatment or assess the relative importance of multiple causes.
Try Pelvic Floor Therapy
Pelvic floor therapy is a type of specialized physical therapy that strengthens the muscles that support your bladder and bowels. This can be very effective in treating urinary incontinence caused by an overactive bladder.
During pelvic floor therapy, a physical therapist may lead you through exercises that target your pelvic floor, use mild electrical stimulation to help you have more awareness of your pelvic floor muscles, and use other specialized techniques. If youre interested in pelvic floor therapy, talk with a doctor about getting a referral.
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How To Get Help For Female Urinary Incontinence
Still feeling unsure about your first step? Remember, incontinence doesnt have to stop you from enjoying daily life on your terms. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can be a life changer.
If you think that you might have urinary incontinence, reach out to one of our primary care doctors. Well answer any questions you may have and guide you to treatment that will work for you. If specialty care is needed, well refer you to our team of compassionate urogynecology specialists.
Bladder And Bowel Incontinence
Incontinence is a loss of control of a person’s bowels or bladder which can cause accidental leakage of body fluids and waste. Incontinence can be more than a physical problem. It can disrupt your quality of life if its not managed well.
Fear, anxiety, and anger are common feelings for people dealing with incontinence. You may avoid being intimate or having sex because you are afraid of urine, gas, or stool leakage. Fear of having an accident may keep you from being physically active, enjoying hobbies, or spending extended time outside your home.
Anyone can have incontinence during and after surgery or some other treatments for cancer. Incontinence can also occur because of other non-cancer medical conditions. Be sure to talk to your health care team if you have difficulty controlling urination or bowels. Talking about incontinence can be embarrassing, but being open and honest with your health care team can help manage it.
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Bladder Incontinence In Women
Bladder incontinence is more common in women than in men. Other than the possible causes listed above, some things that may increase risk of bladder incontinence in women are:
- Changes to urinary or vaginal tissue from hormone therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy
- Hormonal changes from menopause
- Pelvic prolapse – the bladder, uterus, and or rectum may slip backward or downward into the vaginal canal because of weak pelvic wall muscles
Find Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
Overactive bladder is one common cause of bladder control problems, especially among women. Doing regular Kegel exercises can help treat this condition. These exercises also called pelvic floor muscle exercises.
Kegel exercises are relatively easy to do. But before you can start, you need to find your pelvic floor muscles. The next time you urinate, try to stop your flow of urine midstream. The muscles you use to do that are your pelvic floor muscles.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Bladder Control Problems
Signs and symptoms of urinary incontinence can include
- leaking urine during everyday activities, such as lifting, bending, coughing, or exercising
- being unable to hold in urine after feeling a sudden, strong urge to urinate
- leaking urine without any warning or urge
- being unable to reach a toilet in time
- wetting your bed during sleep
- leaking during sexual activity
Effects Of Incontinence On Young People
University of Bristol research on continence problems in young people aged 11-20 years showed that embarrassment, fear of bullying and stigmatisation, and lack of understanding meant that some went to great lengths to conceal bladder and bowel issues, thereby risking:
- Serious distress
- Social isolation
- Underlying conditions going untreated .
The social assumption that continence problems only affected very young children, women or older adults caused participants to feel abnormal and misunderstood. A small number told friends, but all hid it at some level, and many did not want anyone to know. This led to worry about being discovered, at a time of development when fitting in with peers and society felt particularly important . However, many found effective ways of coping and those who told friends reported positive experiences and a sense of relief .
In terms of the healthcare experience, participants wanted to be supported to self-manage, reporting positive treatment experiences when there was good rapport with clinicians and they felt fully involved in decision-making . However, many felt frustrated about a lack of continuity of care and poor understanding of the wider impacts of continence problems on their lives.
Box 1. Case study: a young mans story
*The patients real name has been used, with his permission.
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When To See A Health Care Provider And What To Expect
Talk to your health care provider if you have urinary incontinence or any signs of a bladder problem, such as:
- Needing to urinate more frequently or suddenly
- Urinating eight or more times in one day
- Passing only small amounts of urine after strong urges to urinate
- Trouble starting or having a weak stream while urinating
Your doctor may recommend urodynamic testing and perform the following to try to figure out what might be causing your bladder problem:
- Give you a physical exam and take your medical history.
- Ask about your symptoms and the medications you take.
- Take urine and blood samples.
- Examine the inside of your bladder using a cystoscope a long, thin tube that slides up into the bladder through the urethra. This is usually done by a urinary specialist.
- Fill the bladder with warm fluid and use a cystoscope to check how much fluid your bladder can hold before leaking.
- Order or perform a bladder ultrasound to see if you are fully emptying your bladder with each void.
- Ask you to keep a daily diary of when you urinate and when you leak urine. Your primary care doctor may also send you to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in urinary tract problems.
Limit Caffeine And Alcohol
Caffeine and alcohol have a diuretic effect on your body. That means they increase the amount of urine you produce. If youre having trouble controlling your bladder, consuming caffeinated beverages may be contributing to the problem.
To help manage your symptoms, consider limiting caffeine and alcohol, or avoiding them altogether. Coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, and certain medications are common sources of caffeine.
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How Common Is Young Adult Urinary Incontinence
It can be challenging to pinpoint precisely how many young adults suffer from this condition because not every medical professional defines or categorizes urinary incontinence the same way.
For example, one researcher may include specific individuals in their numbers that another study would not. In addition, many young people with incontinence are too embarrassed to admit their issue to anyone else, preferring to manage it independently.
Urinary incontinence is much more common in young women than in young men, with a prevalence as high as 20 to 30% in some studies. However, only around 4 to 8% of young women report cases severe enough to cause distress.
Urinary Incontinence In Children
The prevalence of urinary incontinence is 6.39 % in 7-year-olds and 1.14.2 % in children aged 1113 years . General paediatric guidelines distinguish between urinary incontinence related to an overactive bladder, delayed micturitions, bladder sphincter dyssynergia/discoordination, combined forms, giggle incontinence, bladder dysfunction and constipation-related incontinence . Urinary incontinence significantly impairs the quality of life and self-esteem of affected children . In 2015, Maternik et al. published a good review of incontinence as well as the testing and treatment of children.
In general practice, assessment is limited to the medical history, clinical examination and evaluation of drinking/diuresis diaries. In addition, the urine can be tested with urine dipsticks and bacterial cultures if appropriate. General practitioners can also request ultrasound of the kidneys/urinary tract, but if a non-functional cause of incontinence is suspected, the child should be referred to a paediatrician. The Norwegian Enuresis Forum has useful information and micturition diaries available for download from its website .
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