What Is The Difference Between Lower And Upper Uti
Generally speaking, a UTI isn´t dangerous, although it is painful. It is most commonly treated with antibiotics by prescription from a doctor, but if left untreated, the infection can spread from the lower urinary tract to the upper urinary tract and the kidneys. Such an infection can potentially cause kidney damage or even kidney failure. If that happens, the symptoms will get considerably worse with e.g. back pain, nausea and fever. From the kidneys the infection can enter the blood stream and spread to other parts of the body, which is a serious medical condition that requires intensive care.
How Soon After Starting Kegel Exercises Will Urinary Incontinence Get Better
It may take 4 to 6 weeks before you notice any improvement in your symptoms.10
Kegel exercises work differently for each person. Your symptoms may go away totally, you may notice an improvement in your symptoms but still have some leakage, or you may not see any improvement at all. But even if your symptoms dont get better, Kegel exercises can help prevent your incontinence from getting worse.
You may need to continue doing Kegel exercises for the rest of your life. Even if your symptoms improve, urinary incontinence can come back if you stop doing the exercises.
How Is Urinary Incontinence Diagnosed In Dogs
Incontinence can be confused with diseases and infections that cause a pet to urinate frequently. The tests performed to evaluate a pet with incontinence depend upon the age of the pet and clinical signs.
A dye study of the bladder is usually performed, and it is common to collect a urine sample for bacterial culture and to see if the urine is dilute or shows evidence of an infection that could be the cause of incontinence.
Blood tests can detect evidence of kidney damage from infection or for the presence of diseases that might lead to increased urine production.
X-rays or ultrasounds may be used to look at the parts of the urinary tract.
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How Is Urinary Incontinence Treated
You and your doctor or nurse will work together to create a treatment plan. You may start with steps you can take at home. If these steps do not improve your symptoms, your doctor or nurse may recommend other treatments depending on whether you have stress incontinence or urge incontinence or both.
Be patient as you work with your doctor or nurse on a treatment plan. It may take a month or longer for different treatments to begin working.
The Physical Impact Of Incontinence
While many people see incontinence as embarrassing, until youve experienced it yourself you may not realize the true physical impact that it can have on your life.
Of course theres the obvious problem of having to change clothes or bedding often, or running to the bathroom, but incontinence can impact your physical health in other ways too. Many people with regular incontinence suffer from skin infections, due to over-exposure to moisture.
Additionally, many people report reducing their physical activity when they have incontinence. For those who were once active, activities such as running or other high impact exercises are often avoided or stopped completely as the practice may lead to unexpected and involuntary leakage of urine.
Finally, incontinence presents a much greater risk for falls and fractures, especially in older adults.
An elderly person who is focused on getting to the restroom quickly may become unaware of the potential hazards that lie in their path to get to the bathroom , or may become inattentive to controlling their posture or body movements, which increases the risk of falling.
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When To See A Doctor
People with warning signs should go to an emergency department at once. People without warning signs should call their doctor. The doctor will decide how quickly they need to be seen based on their other symptoms and other known conditions. In general, if incontinence is the only symptom, a delay of a week or so is not harmful.
Most people are embarrassed to mention incontinence to their doctors. Some people believe that incontinence is a normal part of aging. However, incontinence, even incontinence that has been present for some time or that occurs in an older person, may be helped by treatment. If symptoms of urinary incontinence are bothersome, interfere with activities of daily living, or cause people to curtail their social activities, people should see a doctor.
Reducing The Risk Of Urinary Infection
- drink plenty of fluids
- empty your bladder before and after sex
- reduce vaginal dryness
Some people think that drinking cranberry juice can help reduce the symptoms of cystitis but research has not confirmed this.
Vaginal dryness can cause irritation in the area of the urethra especially during and after sex. This can increase the risk of infection and pain when passing urine. There are various ways of reducing vaginal dryness, including creams and moisturisers.
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Conditions That May Be Confused With A Uti
Smelly and dark urine without any other symptoms should not be confused with a urinary tract infection. Actually, some people have friendly bacteria in the bladder, these bacteria may show no symptoms except for smelly urine. This is a harmless condition that should not be treated with antibiotics.Not drinking sufficiently can also cause dark, cloudy and smelly urine. So, make sure that your loved one gets enough to drink.
Impact Of Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a largely undertreated condition. Despite the widespread prevalence of urinary incontinence, only a fraction of sufferers ever seek treatment.
Issues like stigma and embarrassment keep many from reaching out for help. Yet, despite the unwillingness to talk about it, incontinence is something that greatly impacts the people it affects.
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Prevent Utis With Good Hygiene And Healthy Habits
The most important method of prevention is to keep the genital area clean and healthy, and able to protect itself against infection. Remember to hydrate as well, because dehydration can cause similar symptoms as UTI, and additionally urination can also flush out unwanted bacteria from the urinary tract. Finally, try to make sure your loved one gets help to empty their bladder entirely, since urine remaining in the bladder is a risk that bacteria thrive and multiply in the present urine.
Southern Cross Medical Library
The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.
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Help The One You Care For Use The Toilet
Toilets can be difficult to use for those who have a mobility problem, or another disability, and many people with medical health conditions have trouble completely emptying their bladder. This can cause problems since the remaining urine can act as a medium for bacteria. By helping your relative with good toilet habits, you can avoid an unnecessary risk of infection.
How To Deal With Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence can be painful, embarrassing, and even debilitating. Whether it is you, a member of your family, or even a close friend, this is an issue many will have to deal with.
Often people assume that urinary incontinence will only affect the elderly, but in fact, individuals of any age can suffer. Due to the diversity of people affected, potential causes and their treatments are highly varied.
Care and nursing at home specialists, Helping Hands says, No two people are going to have exactly the same need, which is why its extremely important the care you or your loved one receive is tailored to the individual. If the symptoms listed below seem familiar, it may be time to see your doctor.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Utis In The Elderly
The most common sign of a UTI is a painful, burning sensation while urinating. Other classic signs include frequent urination, pelvic pain, fever, chills, or blood or abnormal color in urine. But for older adults and the elderly, symptoms can be much more convoluted.
Some older adults have slower or suppressed immune responses, secondary conditions that mask symptoms, or conditions like Alzheimer’s or dementia that make it difficult to recognize or communicate symptoms. Any of these factors can make recognizing a UTI in an older adult significantly more difficult.
Keep an eye out for the following symptoms if youre unsure an elderly patient has a UTI:
- Agitation
- Vomiting
Forms Of Urinary Incontinence That Affect Men Only
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia affects about 50 percent of men over the age of 60, and 90 percent over the age of 85 an enlarged prostate can cause sudden and frequent urges to urinate.
- Peyronies disease is the result of injury or damage to penile tissue, causing an abnormal curvature.
- Painful inflammation of the prostate gland
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Evaluation Of Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence usually does not indicate a disorder that is life threatening nevertheless, incontinence may cause embarrassment or lead people to restrict their activities unnecessarily, contributing to a decline in quality of life. Also, rarely, sudden incontinence can be a symptom of a spinal cord disorder. The following information can help people decide when a doctor’s evaluation is needed and help them know what to expect during the evaluation.
Urinary Incontinence In Dogs
Urinary incontinence, or the involuntary passing of urine, is a fairly common problem in dogs. It is usually caused by a medical condition, and your dog likely is not aware its happening.
Although it can happen at any age, it is more common in middle- to senior-aged dogs and females. Severity can range from small leaks to the voiding of a large amount of urine.
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What Is Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a loss of control over urination. Urine leaks before you are able to get to a toilet.
Normally, kidneys make urine that travels through tubes into the bladder. The bladder is a balloon-shaped structure with walls of muscle. The muscular walls are relaxed until the bladder fills up. The underside of the bladder is supported by pelvic floor muscles.
When the bladder is full, the walls of the bladder are stretched. That signals the muscular walls to squeeze down, causing an urge to urinate. When you are ready to urinate, the muscular walls squeeze down harder, and another tube opens up that carries urine out of the bladder and into the outside world.
With the various types of urinary incontinence, this normal process gets disrupted.
One type of incontinence is stress incontinence. Your pelvic muscles are located beneath your bladder. Stress incontinence occurs when your pelvic muscles aren’t strong enough. They cannot withstand a “stress” or pressure pushing on the bladder.
When your pelvic muscles give way, they release their squeeze around the bottom of your bladder. As a result, urine can drain out.
Stress incontinence is common during:
- Pregnancy
- Laughing
- Some awkward body movements
Many women have urinary incontinence after childbirth. Pregnancy and childbirth can affect the conditioning of the pelvic muscles. They can also stretch and injure the pelvic nerves. Incontinence may last for a surprisingly long time after childbirth.
Why Does Urinary Incontinence Happen
There are two main types of urinary incontinence:
- Stress incontinence
- Urge incontinence
“Stress incontinence occurs when your pelvic floor muscles the muscles that support your bladder and urethra weaken, either due to childbirth or over time,” says Dr. Lindo.
If you’re experiencing stress incontinence, you might find yourself leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise or lift something heavy.
“Urge incontinence, on the other hand, occurs when the bladder muscle squeezes to empty out urine when it is not supposed to. It may be due to the amount or type of fluids you drink, resulting in spasms,” explains Dr. Lindo. “Additionally, urgency incontinence can sometimes be a sign of a larger health complication, such as a bladder infection.”
With urge incontinence, you likely experience an overwhelming, sudden need to urinate and leak urine before you can make it to the bathroom.
“For many women the exact cause of their urge urinary incontinence is unknown,” adds Dr. Lindo. “However, there are many treatments that can help you manage symptoms.”
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Products For Urinary Incontinence
There are also many products on the market that can help keep you dry day and night. Some of these are:
Absorbent Products
Theres a world of different types of absorbent products on the market today. Whether youre looking for light protection or heavy, daytime or nighttime use, pads, or absorbent briefs, disposable or reusable, theres a product out there for you.
Finding the right one for you can be tricky at first and you may have to try several before finally finding one that fits you properly and works with your lifestyle. But dont give up. An absorbent product can give you a lot of peace of mind and can help avoid accidents.
Catheters
If your bladder does not empty completely, your doctor may tell you that you need an intermittent self-catheter. Catheters can help improve quality of life by allowing you to completely empty your bladder at regular intervals. This helps protect your kidneys, and lowers the risk of stretching your bladder .
Theyre safe and, once you get the hang of it, easy to use. Both males and females can use catheters.
Pessaries
Many females with a pelvic organ prolapse , a condition that causes the bladder, rectum or uterus to collapse or drop into the vaginal canal, use a pessary for support.
Preventing Urinary Tract Infections
Preventing UTIs in those with incontinence is fairly simple by maintaining proper hygiene and by making a few simple changes with adopting a healthier lifestyle.
- Dont let your loved one remain in soiled incontinence products for long periods of time.
- Remove incontinence products from front to back.
- Wipe the genital area from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria.
- Use a gentle, unscented soap to wash the area and rinse well with warm water.
- Keep the area dry. Bacteria grows better in moist areas.
- Use breathable incontinence products that are moisture-wicking.
- If able, make sure your loved one makes it to the toilet in time.
- Set up their bathroom with the necessary safety and assistant products for a comfortable voiding position.
- Encourage double voiding by having them stand up and sit down to use the bathroom about three times to fully empty the bladder.
- Avoid constipation with a diet full of fiber, water, and nutrients. Make sure your loved one gets plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
- Make sure your loved one stays hydrated with enough fluids to flush out bacteria.
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How Is Incontinence Treated
There are many different factors that your healthcare provider will consider when creating a treatment plan for your incontinence. The type of incontinence and the ways it affects your life are both big considerations. Your provider will also talk to you about the type of treatment you are most comfortable with. There are three main types of treatment you can explore for incontinence medications, lifestyle changes and surgery. Each option has pros and cons that your provider will discuss with you.
Medications to treat incontinence
There are quite a few medications that can reduce leakage. Some of these drugs stabilize the muscle contractions that cause problems with an overactive bladder. Other medications actually do the opposite thing relaxing muscles to allow your bladder to empty completely. Hormone replacement therapies can often involving replacing estrogen thats decreased during menopause may also help restore normal bladder function.
In many cases, medications can work very well to return normal function to the bladder. Your provider will carefully select a medication that matches your specific needs. Often, your provider will start you on a low dose of the medication and then increase it slowly. This is done to try and reduce your risks of side effects and to keep track of how well the medication is working to treat your incontinence.
Common medications that can be used to treat incontinence include:
Lifestyle changes to manage incontinence
What Are Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises, also called Kegels or pelvic floor muscle training, are exercises for your pelvic floor muscles to help prevent or reduce stress urinary incontinence. Your pelvic floor muscles support your uterus, bladder, small intestine, and rectum.
Four in 10 women improved their symptoms after trying Kegels.9 Kegels can be done daily and may be especially helpful during pregnancy. They can help prevent the weakening of pelvic floor muscles, which often happens during pregnancy and childbirth. Your pelvic floor muscles may also weaken with age and less physical activity.
Some women have urinary symptoms because the pelvic floor muscles are always tightened. In this situation, Kegel exercises will not help your urinary symptoms and may cause more problems. Talk to your doctor or nurse about your urinary symptoms before doing Kegel exercises.
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Am I At A Higher Risk Of Incontinence At An Older Age
Your body constantly changes throughout your life. As you age, the muscles that support your pelvic organs can weaken. This means that your bladder and urethra have less support often leading to urine leakage. Your risk for developing incontinence as you age might be higher if you have a chronic health condition, have given birth to children, went through menopause, have an enlarged prostate or have had prostate cancer surgery. Its important to talk to your healthcare provider over time about the risks of incontinence and ways you can manage it without interference to your daily life.