Can Urinary Incontinence Be Prevented Or Avoided
You may be able to prevent urinary incontinence by working to keep pelvic muscles strong. But even so, it doesnt guarantee that you will never have urinary incontinence.
There are also lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent urinary incontinence. You may find it helpful to make some changes in your diet. Alcohol, caffeine, foods high in acid , and spicy foods can irritate your bladder. Talk to your doctor if you think your diet may contribute to your incontinence.
Some people find that limiting how much they drink before bedtime helps reduce nighttime incontinence.
Losing weight if you are overweight can also help reduce incontinence.
Bladder Control Check Up
If you are having trouble with bladder control you may need to have a bladder control check up. This check up helps find out the cause of your bladder control problems. It can also help plan your treatment.
In the check up you will be asked questions about your diet, weight, medical history and general health. Your doctor may also do:
- a wee test
- a special test to show how your bladder works.
What Are The Complications Associated With Vaginal Mesh Surgery
Complications following transvaginal mesh surgery include:
- Infections
- Return of pelvic organ prolapse as the mesh fails
- Urinary problems, such as worsening incontinence
Probably the most significant and difficult to treat complications occur when the mesh begins to erode and drop away from its surgical implant site. This can cause the mesh to protrude from the vaginal opening or lead to problems with surrounding organs.
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How Do I Know If I Have A Healthy Bladder
Any unexpected leaking of wee is not normal. It might just happen occasionally when you laugh or cough, or you might not be able to hold your wee at all. Often a simple change or some treatment can help to cure, improve or manage it.
The first thing to do is:
- check to see what the signs of a healthy bladder are
- use our checklist to see how your bladder is working.
If you think you could have a bladder problem, the most important thing you can do is to seek help. Bladder problems can be embarrassing and distressing. It wont go away if you do nothing.
Tips For A Healthy Bladder
Good habits can help you avoid bladder control problems.
For a healthy bladder:
- urinate 4 to 8 times a day, but no more than twice each night
- try not to go in case wait until your bladder is full
- when you go, completely empty your bladder
- drink plenty of water 6 to 8 cups a day for most people
- include fibre in your diet so you dont strain when opening your bowels
- dont have too much caffeine, as it can irritate your bladder
- keep your pelvic floor muscles strong
Women should sit on the toilet seat, rather than hover over it.
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How To Know If You Have Kidney Problems
This article was medically reviewed by Erik Kramer, DO, MPH and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Dr. Erik Kramer is a Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado, specializing in internal medicine, diabetes, and weight management. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2012. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and is board certified.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 57,313 times.
You might want to think of your kidneys as the filters of your body. In addition to other important functions, your kidneys and nephrons remove waste from your blood and maintain minerals like electrolytes. Imbalances in the filtering process can cause protein, waste, or extra minerals to pass into your urine. When this happens, several kidney problems can arise like kidney stones, kidney infection, or chronic kidney disease.XResearch source Sometimes, in the early stages of kidney disease, a patient can be completely asymptomatic.
What Are The Symptoms Of Vaginal Mesh Complications
Symptoms of vaginal mesh complications may occur within weeks or months of the initial surgery and can include:
- Abnormal vaginal discharge and pain that may indicate an infection
- Pain with sexual intercourse, which your partner may also experience due to encountering loosening vaginal mesh material
- Vaginal bleeding that isnt related to your menstrual cycle
- Persistent pelvic pain
- Worsening incontinence, discomfort with urination, and other urinary symptoms
Infections related to vaginal mesh complications can quickly worsen and require prompt medical treatment. If you develop any of these symptoms following transvaginal mesh surgery, its important that you see your doctor as soon as possible.
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Bladder Conditions And Symptoms
The first and most important point to remember is that everyone with a bladder problem can be helped and many can be completely cured.
If you have been diagnosed with incontinence problems, you can use the bladder menu to find out more information about your specific bladder condition or problem. If you have not been diagnosed by a health professional, the following questions about your symptoms should help you find the information you are looking for.
Diagnosis Of Enlarged Prostate Gland And Urinary Problems
If you are troubled by urination problems, see a doctor no matter what your age. If your doctor agrees that your symptoms need further evaluation and treatment, you may need to undergo a few tests.These may include:
- general examination medical history and review of any health conditions including obesity, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea, depression and erectile dysfunction. A rectal examination may be done to check the size and shape of your prostate gland
- a urine check to ensure the prostate is not infected
- a flow-rate check to estimate the speed with which you pass urine
- an ultrasound examination to assess if the bladder is emptying completely and to examine your kidneys
- urodynamics a series of tests on the bladder to see how your urinary system is functioning may be recommended in some circumstances.
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How Is Urinary Incontinence Diagnosed
To diagnose the cause of your urinary incontinence, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask about your past health.
Your doctor will ask about what and how much you drink. You will also be asked how much and how often you urinate and leak urine. It may be easier for you to answer questions if you keep track of these things using a bladder diary for 3 or 4 days before you see your doctor.
Your doctor may do some simple tests to look for the cause of your bladder control problem. For example, your doctor may ask you to cough while you are standing to see if you leak urine. If your doctor thinks that your problem may have more than one cause, you will likely have more tests.
Here are some tests that may be done to find the type and cause of your urinary incontinence.
What If The Infection Does Not Clear Up With Treatment
Most infections clear up with treatment. However, if an infection does not clear up, or if you have repeated infections, you may be given some special tests such as:
-
a type of x-ray called an intravenous pyleogram , which involves injecting a dye into a vein and taking pictures of your kidney and bladder
-
an ultrasound exam, which gives a picture of your kidneys and bladder using sound waves
-
a cytoscopic exam, which uses a hollow tube with special lenses to look inside the bladder.
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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
- menopause
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.
What Causes A Prolapsed Bladder
Factors commonly associated with causing a prolapsed bladder are those that weaken the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments that support the bladder, urethra, uterus, and rectum, which can lead to detachment from the ligaments or pelvic bone where the muscles attach:
- Pregnancy and childbirth: This is the most common cause of a prolapsed bladder. The delivery process is stressful on the vaginal tissues and muscles, which support a woman’s bladder.
- Aging can lead to weakening of the muscles.
- Menopause: Estrogen, a hormone that helps maintain the strength and health of supporting tissues in the vagina, is not produced after menopause.
- Previous pelvic surgery: such as hysterectomy
- Other risk factors that increase the pressure within the abdomen, leading to increased pressure on the pelvic floor muscles include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , obesity, constipation, and heavy manual labor .
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Symptoms Of A Prolapsed Bladder
The first symptom that women with a prolapsed bladder usually notice is the presence of tissue in the vagina that many women describe as something that feels like a ball.
Other symptoms of a prolapsed bladder include the following:
- Discomfort or pain in the pelvis
- Tissue protruding from the vagina
- Difficulty urinating
Some women may not experience or notice symptoms of a mild prolapsed bladder.
How To Know If You Have An Inflamed Gallbladder
Many people throughout the country are living with something that can potentially cause them a great deal of trouble in the future. How To Know If You Have An Inflamed Gallbladder, Even now, they might possibly be in a great deal of pain. For the most part, an inflamed gallbladder is not the first culprit that comes to mind. How To Know If You Have An Inflamed Gallbladder
One of the leading causes of pain in the abdominal area is from an inflamed gallbladder. However, not a lot of people are even aware of what the gallbladder is, or what it does.
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Medication For Urinary Problems
Your doctor may suggest various medications to help ease your urinary problems, including:
- medications to reduce the tone of the muscles of the urethra and prostate to minimise any constriction to urine flow caused when these muscles contract
- medication to reduce the size of the prostate gland. These medications work by blocking the action of male hormones produced by the prostate gland
- medications to relax the bladder, making unwanted contractions less likely and reducing the symptoms of urgency and frequency of urination
- the over-the-counter preparation ‘saw palmetto’ is sometimes used. This may help some men, especially if frequent urination at night is a problem.
However, recent reviews of the evidence for using saw palmetto as a treatment for mild or moderate urinary symptoms did not show any improvement, compared to no treatment, in men with BPH.
How To Know If Your Pessary Fits Well
Fitted Ring Pessary
Successful fitting usually means that the largest possible size device is fitted and sits comfortably within the vagina when you are standing upright.
Pessaries are available in a various sizes and styles to suit womens individual differences and prolapse needs.
Prior to fitting your practitioner will assess your prolapse and measure the internal dimensions of your vagina to know the best size and style of device for your body.
A well fitting ring pessary is shown right.
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The Top 5 Female Bladder Problems
Posted on
Bladder issues are extremely common among women, but for some reason theyre not talked about all that much. Some women find it embarrassing to talk about bladder conditions. They shy away from talking about what theyre experiencing with their physician or among other women.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Womens Health, many bladder problems are associated with numerous problematic issues. This includes a decrease in physical activity, social isolation, falls, fractures, poor adherence to blood pressure medications, and more. Because bladder problems are so common yet infrequently talked about, were rounding up some common conditions. Our goal is to help you learn more, realize youre not alone, and encourage you to seek treatment. Here are the top bladder conditions you may experience:
Are There Other Ways To Treat Incontinence
Yes. Medicines or medical devices can treat some types of urinary incontinence. For example, estrogen cream to put in the vagina can be helpful for some women who have mild stress incontinence. Several prescription medicines are available to treat urge incontinence. For men, prescription medicine is available to shrink the prostate and improve flow of urine through the prostate. Talk to your doctor about possible medicine options for your type of incontinence.
In some cases, surgery may be an option. Treatment depends on what type of urinary incontinence you have and what is causing it.
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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.
Causes Of A Prolapsed Bladder
The following factors are commonly associated with causing a prolapsed bladder:
- Childbirth: This is the most common cause of a prolapsed bladder. The delivery process is stressful on the vaginal tissues and muscles, which support a womanâs bladder.
- Menopause: Estrogen, a hormone that helps maintain the strength and health of muscles in the vagina, is not produced after menopause.
- Straining: Lifting heavy objects, straining during bowel movements, having a long-term condition that involves coughing, or having long-term constipation may damage the muscles of the pelvic floor.
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Overactive Bladder Problems After Hysterectomy
Sometimes nerve damage or infections are the reason for an overactive bladder after surgery. This crazy, unstoppable feeling of having to go to the toilet, even if you have little or no urine in the bladder, is due to the bladders detrusor muscle malfunctioning. After a hysterectomy, overactive bladder problems include frequent visits to the bathroom, even during the night , and leaking urine.
What can you do about it?
Strengthen the pelvic muscles with Kegel exercises. Avoid substances that will irritate the bladder like coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks, and spicy meals. Get rid of the extra pounds, as your extra weight can have a notable impact on the pelvic floor muscles that support your bladder. There are several medications that can help to relax the Detrusor muscle. Common side effects of these medications are dry mouth, constipation, and sometimes confusion.
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Signs Of An Unhealthy Bladder
Bladder problems are quite common in women. Whether you are prone to frequent infections during pregnancy or suffering a loss of bladder control later in life, urinary issues can become a major source of disruption and embarrassment. There are some key warning signs that tell you that your bladder health is in jeopardy and that you need to see a doctor. Not only do some of these symptoms indicate a problem within your urinary system, but they can also mean that another system in your body is compromised. In fact, urogynecologist Raymond Rackley, MD states that eighty percent of the causes of bladder problems are related to conditions outside of the bladder, These can include problems with the nervous or cardiovascular systems.
Your bladder symptoms should never be ignored. If you are experiencing any of the following, please give us a call at North Pointe OB/GYN in Cumming:
Increase in Frequency
This is one of the most common signs of a bladder infection. While it is normal to urinate about six to eight times in a 24-hour period, going excessively could indicate a problem. If youve consumed large amount of fluid or increased your caffeine intake for the day, urinating more often is explainable. However, if you consistently find yourself trying to find a bathroom, it could be a sign of interstitial cystitis, bladder infection or overactive bladder.
Change in Color
Burning or Pain
Incontinence
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What Exams And Tests Diagnose A Prolapsed Bladder
An exam of the female genitalia and pelvis is usually required in diagnosing a prolapsed bladder. Seeing the bladder bulging into the vagina on examination is diagnostic. In addition, you will be asked to strain/cough/bear down to determine the extent of the bladder prolapse, as well as determine if you have urinary leakage with increased pressure .
For less obvious cases, the doctor may use a voiding cystourethrogram to help with the diagnosis. During the voiding cystourethrogram, a catheter is placed into the bladder through the urethra. The bladder is emptied and then a sterile contrast is passed through the catheter into the bladder until the bladder is full enough to void. A series of X-ray films then are taken during bladder filling and during urination. These X-ray films help the doctor determine the shape of the bladder and the cause of urinary difficulty. The doctor may also test or take X-ray films of different parts in the abdomen to rule out other possible causes of discomfort or urinary difficulty.
After diagnosis, the doctor may test the nerves, muscles, and the intensity of the urine stream to help decide what type of treatment is appropriate.
A test called urodynamics or video urodynamics may be performed at the doctor’s discretion. Urodynamics measures pressure and volume relationships in the bladder and can also assess the function of the urethra and may be crucial in the decision-making of the urologist/urogynecologist.