Who Is At Risk For Urinary Incontinence
In adults, you are at higher risk of developing UI if you:
- Are female, especially after going through pregnancy, childbirth, and/or menopause
- Are older. As you age, your urinary tract muscles weaken, making it harder to hold in urine.
- Are a man with prostate problems
- Have certain health problems, such as diabetes, obesity, or long-lasting constipation
- Have a birth defect that affects the structure of your urinary tract
In children, bedwetting is more common in younger children, boys, and those whose parents wet the bed when they were children.
Symptoms Of Male Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a symptom of other conditions. Any loss of bladder control can be considered incontinence.
With stress incontinence, leakage may happen when there is extra pressure on your bladder. This can happen when you laugh, sneeze, lift heavy objects or exercise.
With urge incontinence, you may have a loss of bladder control following a strong urge to urinate. You may not be able to hold urine long enough to make it to a toilet.
Other Bladder Control Medications
If symptoms of urinary incontinence are thought to be caused by an enlarged prostate, different medications can be offered to reduce these symptoms. The prostate gland wraps around the urethra , and if it is enlarged, it could squeeze the urinary passage tight, making the emptying of bladder more difficult and incomplete.
In brief, the following categories are available for the treatment of urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate :
- Alpha-blockers, terazosin , doxyzosin , alfuzosin , silodosin , and tamsulosin , work by relaxing the muscles around the urethra and prostate, thus, making urination more comfortable and complete. These medications start to relieve symptoms within a few weeks, but they do not affect the prostate size.
- 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, finasteride and dutasteride , work by reducing the size of the prostate gland. They may take several months to become effective.
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Do Bladder Control Products Help To Strengthen A Weak Bladder
Bladder control products are natural dietary supplements that help strengthen your bladder without synthetic ingredients and potentially harmful chemicals. These products contain herbs, plants, and other compounds that have been used for centuries to address these problems.
Not only they alleviate incontinence, but they also support urinary tract health and provide more strength to bladder muscles. At the same time, these products stimulate the excretion of fluids from the body while alleviating pain, discomfort, and other symptoms you experience. Potent herbs remove toxins that would otherwise damage your bladder, urinary tract, and overall health.
There is no simple yes or no answer to the question of whether these products work. Not all bladder control supplements are equal. Some of them work, others do not. It all depends on the product you buy, so you need to pay extra attention when choosing these items.
What Else Causes Bladder Control Problems In Women
Certain life events and health problems can lead to stress incontinence in women by weakening the pelvic floor muscles
- pregnancy and childbirth
Weak pelvic floor muscles can make it hard for your bladder to hold urine in during stress incontinence. Stress incontinence occurs when an actioncoughing, sneezing, laughing, or physical activityputs pressure on your bladder and causes urine to leak. A weak pelvic floor can also cause fecal incontinence, or bowel control problems.
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Evaluation Of Men With Frequent Urination At Night
A comprehensive evaluation of men includes urine testing, ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys, urodynamic testing, and cystoscopy. PSA test is also typically ordered.
Treatment of men with excessive urination at night.
Treatment is guided by the findings of diagnostic testing. The most common cause of frequent urination at night in men is urinary tract obstruction from an enlarged prostate. Many men also experience overactive bladder as a result of an enlarged prostate.
Medical, minimally invasive, as well as surgical treatment of enlarged prostate, is effective at treating the causes of frequent urination at night.
Oab And Your Prostate
Among men, many cases of OAB are caused by an enlarged prostate gland. Your prostate may get larger as you age. It can block your flow of urine, causing symptoms of OAB.
According to the National Association for Continence, up to 50 percent of men experience symptoms of an enlarged prostate by the time they turn 60. A whopping 90 percent of men experience symptoms by age 85.
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Herbal Supplements To Treat Oab
Various herbal supplements, available at many pharmacies or online, may help improve OAB symptoms. Though many have been used for years, there is little research to back the efficacy of these treatments. They include:
- Green tea extract: There are no human studies performed to date to prove green tea extracts work. However, a study on rats indicate that rats treated with green tea catechins had fewer bladder contractions than rats without the treatment when recovering from removal of ovaries as a treatment for bladder damage.
- Gosha-jinki-gan: A combination of 10 Asian herbs is said to reduce urinary frequency. A small study â 44 women in Japan â demonstrated this when taking 7.5 milligrams of this supplement for eight weeks. However, this study has yet to be replicated on a large scale.
- Buchu: A flowering plant that is native to South Africa, buchu supposedly heals a variety of medical conditions. There are no studies that indicate that buchu helps to ease OAB symptoms, but buchu tea is caffeine-free. Perhaps swapping buchu tea for coffee may ease symptoms as caffeine can exacerbate symptoms.
- Hachimi-jio-gan: Similar to gosha-jinki-gan, hachimi-jio-gan is a combination of Asian herbs. HE contains several of the same herbs as gosha-jinki-gan. A small-scale Japanese study performed on rats indicated that this supplement reduced bladder contractions prompted by acetylcholine.
While some of these may be helpful, you might able be wondering what herbs do not work.
How Is Urinary Incontinence Diagnosed
Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:
- A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms. Your provider may ask you to keep a bladder diary for a few days before your appointment. The bladder diary includes how much and when you drink liquids, when and how much you urinate, and whether you leak urine.
- A physical exam, which can include a rectal exam. Women may also get a pelvic exam.
- Urine and/or blood tests
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See Your Health Care Provider
When talking to your health care provider, carefully review all the medications you’re taking. Include nonprescription drugs and any herbal remedies. Some medications make bladder control problems worse. Others can interact with bladder control drugs in a way that increases symptoms.
Your health care provider can help you decide if you need medicine to treat bladder leaks. Discuss which one might be best for you.
© 1998-2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research . All rights reserved. Terms of use.
How Successful Is Treatment For Urinary Incontinence
The outlook is promising for urinary incontinence treatment. About 80% of people with urinary incontinence can improve or even be cured. The best outcome depends, of course, on getting the correct diagnosis and following your doctorâs advice to help improve your condition.
American Academy of Family Physicians: âUrinary Incontinence: Embarrassing but Treatable.â
Jennifer Anger, MD, MPH, urologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.
Amy Rosenman, MD, co-author, The Incontinence Solution, urogynecologist, Santa Monica, CA, associate clinical professor, UCLA.
National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: âUrge Incontinence.â
Halina Zynczynski, MD, director, division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Magee-Womenâs Hospital, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
American Family Physician: âSelecting Medications for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence.â
National Association for Continence: âTreatment Options for Incontinence.â
American Urological Association: âDiagnosis and Treatment of Overactive Bladder in Adults: AUA/SUFU Guideline.â
Global Library of Womenâs Medicine.
Rovner, E. Rev Urol., 2004
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Vibegrons Mechanism Of Action
Vibegron is a small molecule, selective human beta-3 adrenergic agonist that binds to and activates the beta-3 adrenergic receptor on the bladder.
Activation of the beta-3 adrenergic receptor increases the capacity of the bladder by calming the detrusor smooth muscle during the bladder filling.
The drugs safety and efficacy in children remain unestablished.
How Can Nerve Stimulation Help Overactive Bladder
There are several treatments that involve stimulating your nerves to help improve overactive bladder. Your nerves help communicate the message that your bladder needs to be emptied to your brain. By treating the nerves, your healthcare provider can improve your bladder control. Nerve stimulation is a reversible treatment that is considered when conservative treatments have not worked or have not been tolerated. Conservative treatments include behavioral therapies and medications.
There are several types of nerve stimulation treatments. These can include:
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Medications For Unspecified Oab
If your doctor cant find a cause for your OAB, dont worry. Drugs can still help ease your symptoms. Some of these drugs work by relaxing your bladder. They stop involuntary contractions that bring on the urge to urinate. Other drugs help strengthen the tissues around your bladder that may have become weak. The stronger tissue can help improve your bladder control.
What If I Take Too Much
If you take too much mirabegron, it is unlikely to harm you.
If you take an extra dose by mistake, you might get some of the common side effects, such as increased heart rate, or headache and dizziness.
Urgent advice: Contact 111 now for advice if:
You’ve taken more than your usual dose of mirabegron and:
- you’re having side effects
Call or go to 111.nhs.uk
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When Should I See A Healthcare Provider
See a healthcare provider if you experience any symptoms of an overactive bladder.
Age-related OAB may develop gradually and slowly worsen over time. If your symptoms develop suddenly and you have heavy leakage, your OAB may be a symptom of another condition, such as an infection or a neurological issue. Its best to have a provider check these symptoms sooner rather than later.
Botox Injection For Bladder Problems
Botox injection has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of overactive bladder for patients who have failed to respond to standard therapy with anticholinergic medications.
Overactive bladder is a type of urinary incontinence caused by overactivity of the muscles in the bladder, causing frequent squeezing of the bladder and, thus, frequent urge to urinate. Botox can be injected into the bladder directly through a cystoscope .
Common side effects of Botox injection may include incomplete emptying, urinary tract infection, and painful urination.
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Bladder Control: Medications For Urinary Problems
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 15, 2022.
Bladder control problems sometimes continue even after making lifestyle changes and trying bladder training. When other options don’t work, it may be time to talk to your health care provider about medications.
Medications are available for people who often have sudden, intense urges to urinate, also called overactive bladder. They’re also available to people who have urine leaks that can happen along with overactive bladder. This is called urge incontinence.
There are fewer drug options for people who have urine leaks during activity. This is called stress incontinence. Stress incontinence can cause leaks when coughing, sneezing or lifting heavy objects.
Here’s a look at drugs commonly used to treat bladder control problems and their possible side effects. Medications combined with behavioral treatment might be more effective than medication alone.
Do Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises
Strong pelvic floor muscles hold in urine better than weak muscles. You can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by doing Kegel exercises. These exercises involve tightening and relaxing the muscles that control urine flow. Researchers found that women who received pelvic floor muscle training had fewer leaks per day than women who didnt receive training.6 You should not do pelvic floor exercises while youre urinating.
Men can also benefit from pelvic floor muscle exercises. Strengthening these muscles may help a man leak urine less often, especially dribbling after urination.
A health care professional, such as a physical therapist trained in pelvic floor therapy, can help you get the most out of your Kegel exercises by helping you improve your core muscle strength. Your core includes your torso muscles, especially the lower back, pelvic floor muscles, and abdomen. These muscles keep your pelvis lined up with your spine, which helps with good posture and balance. Your physical therapist can show you how to do some exercises during daily activities, such as riding in a car or sitting at a desk.
You dont need special equipment for Kegel exercises. However, if you are unsure whether you are doing the exercises correctly, you can learn how to perform Kegel exercises properly by using biofeedback, electrical stimulation, or both. Biofeedback uses special sensors to measure muscle contractions that control urination.
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When To Consider Meds
If you have urge incontinence and have tried nondrug measures for several months but symptoms are still interfering with your quality of life, you might consider adding medication.
There is a role for these drugs, Hochman says, but typically only after trying safer treatments first.
How do they work? In some people with urge incontinence, the bladder muscles contract at the wrong time, causing the uncomfortable feeling of urgency and often leaks. Drugs used to treat the condition relax the bladder muscles, which can increase the storage size of the bladder and reduce the urge to urinate.
Based on analysis of the evidence by CR Best Buy Drugs, none of the drugs clearly works better than the others.
If you and your doctor conclude that one is worth trying, consider generic prescription extended-release oxybutynin. It costs about twice as much as the short-acting drug if youre paying out-of-pocket but offers the convenience of once-a-day dosing.
In addition, research suggests that it has a somewhat lower risk of side effects than other forms of the drug, including the OTC patch, as well as some other bladder drugs, including short-acting tolterodine.
Watch closely for side effects, particularly memory problems or confusion, which can be subtle, Hochman says. Because of those risks, our experts advise against the drugs for anyone diagnosed with dementia.
If symptoms havent improved after eight weeks, ask your doctor about adjusting the dose or trying a different option.
Overactive Bladder Medication Over The Counter
When you are suffering from overactive bladder , it can be easy to run to the drugstore or your local supermarket to look for a quick solution. But does the easiest option mean it will be effective? In this article we will explore overactive bladder medication that is over the counter to see if it is an effective treatment option.
Over-the-counter overactive bladder medications are an easy option, but they might not work for everyone. Symptoms often vary between people, and depending on what you experience, speaking with a doctor and getting a prescription may be a better option.
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What Is The Evidence For Effective Treatments For Urinary Incontinence
Women have several options to manage their urinary incontinence and these primarily include either drug or non-drug treatments. Many studies have shown that the majority of women improve their symptoms using non-drug conservative interventions and these include:
Intra-vaginal electrical or magnetic stimulation may help some women with incontinence . However, some women do not benefit from these non-drug treatments, or they are unable to access these treatments, or make the necessary lifestyle changes. In this case, doctors may suggest the use of drugs to help with incontinence problems. We review the current scientific evidence about the effectiveness of these drugs to help manage incontinence.
What Are The Symptoms Of Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder represents a collection of symptoms. These symptoms include:
- Urinary urgency. Urinary urgency is a sudden, uncontrollable need to pee. Once you feel the need to pee, you have a short amount of time to get to a bathroom.
- Frequent peeing. A frequent need to pee means you have to go to the bathroom more often than usual.
- Urge incontinence. Urge incontinence is a sudden, uncontrollable need to pee, and you may leak pee.
- Nocturia. Nocturia is the need to get up to pee at least two times each night.
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Control Your Urge To Urinate
You may be able to control, or suppress, the strong urge to urinate, which is called urge or urgency suppression. With this type of bladder training, you can worry less about finding a bathroom in a hurry. Some people distract themselves to take their minds off needing to urinate. Other people find that long, relaxing breaths or holding still can help. Doing pelvic floor exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor also can help control the urge to urinate. Quick, strong squeezes of the pelvic floor muscles can help suppress urgency when it occurs, which may help you get to the toilet before you leak.
What Are The Symptoms Of Utis In Men
The UTI can occur in both men and women but men are more prone to this infection. The infections may affect any age group but those who are most vulnerable to bladder infection are children under 5 years of age, pregnant women, and elderly senior people.
Urinary tract infection is a relatively common problem and millions of people are affected by this every year. The urinary tract consists of kidneys and bladder, with both the kidneys and bladder holding urine.
The most common symptom of UTI is an intense urge to urinate even when the bladder is not full.
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