Loss Of Bladder Control Symptoms

How To Prevent A Leaky Bladder

• Limit or avoid excess caffeine intake through coffee, tea, and carbonated beverages.
• Perform Kegel exercises on regular basis to maintain strength of pelvic floor muscles.
• Avoid fluid intake for several hours before bedtime.
• Limit fluid intake throughout the day, but keep hydrated.
• Avoid smoking as tobacco use increases risk of bladder cancer, which can cause bladder leaks.
• Maintain a healthy weight as obesity can lead to bladder leakage.
• Urinate after sexual intercourse to eliminate bacteria from the urethra.
• Limit or avoid spicy foods, acidic foods, and artificial sweeteners, as they increase fluid output.
• Use caution with diuretics to prevent bladder leakage from frequent urination.

Treatment And Diagnosis Options For Male Incontinence

Urologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence. They will take a full medical history and conduct a physical exam. A urine sample as well as a blood sample will likely be taken. The blood sample can tell a lot about a persons kidney function. Blood samples can also assess protein produced by the prostate cells. This protein can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. Something called urodynamic testing may also be conducted. This testing includes a variety of procedures that can tell how well the bladder stores and releases urine.

The urologist may instruct a patient to keep a bladder diary. This is when you record the amount of liquid you drink, how many times you urinate, how often you leak, whether you had strong urges to go before leaking, and what you were doing when leaking occurred. This information can help the doctor pinpoint the type of UI you have.

Male urinary incontinence treatment can involve a number of different approaches. Again, depending on the type and cause, you will likely be treated with one or a combination of the following approaches:

• Lifestyle adjustments
• Medications
• Surgery

The prospect of surgery sounds scary. However, it is important to know that in the majority of situations, male incontinence exercises as well as lifestyle adjustments are the main remedy that helps people struggling with UI. Which means drastic measures like surgery are never required.

What Is The Outlook

Outlook depends on the underlying cause but is generally very good. In young people, when the blackouts are not associated with any heart or nervous system problem, there is nothing to worry about. In older people, there may be a risk to their health but this is due to the underlying condition and the risks from falling.

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What Steps Can I Take At Home To Treat Urinary Incontinence

Your doctor or nurse may suggest some things you can do at home to help treat urinary incontinence. Some people do not think that such simple actions can treat urinary incontinence. But for many women, these steps make urinary incontinence go away entirely, or help leak less urine. These steps may include:

You can also buy pads or protective underwear while you take other steps to treat urinary incontinence. These are sold in many stores that also sell feminine hygiene products like tampons and pads.

Try To Keep Bowel Movements Regular

• As your bladder and bowel are next to each other, a full bowel affects bladder function.
• Many people find their bladder control problems are worse if they are constipated , which can happen if you dont empty your bowel regularly or dont eat enough fibre.
• Avoid straining while emptying your bowels as this can overstretch the muscles of your pelvic floor and may lead to weakness developing.

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When Should I See A Health Care Professional

See a health care professional if you have symptoms of a bladder problem, such as trouble urinating, a loss of bladder control, waking to use the bathroom, pelvic pain, or leaking urine.

Bladder problems can affect your quality of life and cause other health problems. Your health care professional may be able to treat your UI by recommending lifestyle changes or a change in medicine.

Syncope: What Really Happened When You Fainted

Syncope is the medical term for fainting or passing out. Losing consciousness is very scary and may be caused by many different reasons. The most important part about making the right diagnosis with your doctor is to provide a good history of the incident. This may be difficult because you might not remember all the details due to fainting. If possible, make sure to talk with those around you who witnessed the episode to hear what they observed.

Before seeing the doctor, prepare your answers to these questions:

• What were you doing immediately before the event?
• What symptoms did you have immediately preceding the event?
• Did you injure yourself?
• Any past history of fainting?
• What medications are you taking?

Syncope is defined as having the following features:

Syncope is commonly mistaken for seizures. Differentiating between the two may be tricky and has major implications for treatment. History is key!

Syncope is due to a drop in blood pressure and decreased blood flow to the brain. People fall to the ground or slump over in a chair and subsequently regain full consciousness in a short period of time because of the return of blood flow. Syncope is very common one out of every three people will experience it in their lifetime .

Other causes of syncope include:

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What Else Could It Be

The most common cause of blacking out is fainting. Other causes include epileptic seizures, syncope due to anxiety and other rare causes of faints.

Other causes of blacking out may be due to low blood sugar and lack of oxygen from a variety of causes. It may be due to over-breathing but this is rare.

You may also black out after a fall or blow to the head or due to excess alcohol or street drugs.

Strokes and mini strokes can also result in a blackout.

Prolonged blackout, confusion after the event, incomplete recovery and tongue biting all suggest that the cause is not a simple faint.

How Is Loss Of Bladder Control Treated

Non-surgical treatments are often recommended to help treat bladder control issues. These include:

• Physical therapy and exercise
• Reducing intake of alcohol and caffeine
• Electrical stimulation of the nerves that control the bladder
• Bladder retraining by going to the bathroom at set times
• Kegel exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles
• Bladder control device inserted into vagina that repositions urethra to reduce leakage
• Biofeedback to help patients learn to control the bladder muscles

Depending on the type of leakage and how bothersome it isand if patients do not respond to the non-surgical treatmentssurgery and other interventions can be very successful. In most cases, they can be done as an outpatient procedure.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 08/26/2015.

References

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Treatments For Stress Incontinence

Stress incontinence occurs when weakened pelvic floor muscles cant hold up to the pressure on the bladder and urethra. These muscles may have weakened due to age, vaginal birth, or obesity.

If the issue may be related to weight, well talk about weight loss. As little as an 8 percent weight loss can decrease incontinence by half. I also recommend that patients work with a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor exercises. These exercises strengthen the muscles that control urination.

Another option is a pessary, which is a device that supports the walls of your vagina and lifts the bladder and urethra. Its a non-surgical fix. If were still not finding relief after trying a pessary, the surgical option is a urethral sling, which is a type of mesh thats placed under the urethra.

When you cough, for example, and the urethra moves, the mesh provides extra support for the muscles that arent doing their job.

Other Types Of Bladder Leakage

• Mixed Incontinence: This label is given to bladder leakage conditions that stem from more than one form of incontinence, whether stress, urge, functional, or overflow. Women can be often diagnosed with stress and urge incontinence at the same time.
• Transient Incontinence: A transient incontinence refers to a temporary condition of a bladder leakage. It is often seen with complications after surgery, an irritated bladder, chronic constipation, and as a side effect of some diuretic and sleep-induced medication.
• Total Incontinence: A total loss of bladder function is referred to as total incontinence. This may be a result of nerve or bladder damage or disease that hinders the regular functioning of the bladder. Some cases of multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries may see a malfunction of the bladder to store urine.

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How Is Neurogenic Bladder Treated

• Bladder training: A non-surgical approach helps patients learn the skills and exercises needed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Some patients might be asked to keep a diary recording the time of urination and amount passed, so the patient can establish a more manageable pattern for urination.
• Catheterization: In this treatment, patients are taught how to self-insert a small catheter tube in order to empty the bladder at regular intervals.
• Sacral Neuromodulation: In this relatively new approach, small electrodes and a stimulator are inserted near nerves related to bladder function. The stimulator delivers the electrical impulses that the body would normally receive if the nerves were undamaged.

Bladder Control Treatments In Ms

A bladder problem is more than an inconvenience. Without treatment, it can turn into other health issues, including bladder infections, kidney damage, and hygiene problems. It also can keep you from doing the things youâd normally do and make you feel isolated.

Talk to your doctor if you notice any changes in when and how often youâre going to the bathroom. They might recommend that you see a doctor who specializes in bladder problems, called a urologist. They might also talk to you about some things you can do on your own:

Diet changes. One way to start is to change the liquid you put into your body every day. Your doctor may recommend that you:

• Drink no more than 2 quarts of liquids a day.
• Drink a small glass of water all at once every few hours. That’s better than sipping drinks constantly, which might make you want to pee more often.
• Stop drinking at least 2 hours before you go to bed.
• Steer clear of drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and sodas.
• Have no more than one alcoholic drink per day.

Change your behavior. Some things you can try:

Absorbent products such as mini-shields that attach to underwear or plastic-backed diapers. These items help you guard against accidents. Most of them are disposable, but you can also buy absorbent cloths that you can wash and reuse.

Medications. If behavior changes donât work, your doctor may prescribe medicines to help with bladder control. You might also take them while you keep up your behavior training.

• Trospium

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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
• Pregnancy
• Hysterectomy

Managing Bladder Or Urinary Incontinence

Sometimes urinary incontinence can last a short time, depending on what’s causing it. But sometimes incontinence can be long-term and uncomfortable, making some everyday activities difficult to manage.

Your health care team will ask you questions to determine the type of bladder incontinence you might have. Then, you might need tests to verify the type and learn the cause of it which will help them know the best way to manage it.

• Pelvic floor muscle strengthening may be recommended. A physical therapist that specializes in pelvic floor muscle exercises can help. This might help muscle strength and bladder control get better by doing exercises that tighten and relax muscles that control the flow of urine.
• Bladder training canhelp manage how often you need to urinate throughout the day, by assigning certain time intervals to empty your bladder.

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Incontinence In Older People

In some cases, older people have a higher risk of incontinence because of a medical condition, which may be treatable. Medical causes of incontinence in older people include:

• urinary tract infection this is where bacteria get into the tube that empties pee from the bladder out of the body. This can lead to infection of the bladder or kidneys. Symptoms can include a sudden urge to pee, pain or a burning feeling when peeing, a fever and urinary incontinence. A urinary tract infection can usually be treated with antibiotics
• constipation this is uncomfortable and makes both emptying and controlling the bladder more difficult. Constipation is also a very common cause of faecal incontinence. When the bowel gets full of very hard poo which cannot be passed, liquid poo can leak out from around the edges of the blockage. It is easy to confuse this with diarrhoea
• prostate gland problems these affect men, and may be treatable
• side effects of medication the GP may be able to address these by changing the persons prescription or altering the dose
• other gut conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome .

Many people find it embarrassing to talk about these problems, and this can stop them from seeking help from health professionals. GPs and specialists deal with issues like these frequently and its important to get advice and support from them. Medical causes can often be treated or managed.

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
• Not smoking

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

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Urinary Incontinence In Men

Bladder leakage in men can be caused by a birth defect of the urinary tract.

Men also have the risk of contracting urinary incontinence with a history of prostate cancer. The treatment from radiation and medication may result in temporary or permanent bladder leakage.

An enlarged prostate without cancer cells may lead to a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. This condition causes the prostate to expand and apply pressure to the urethra, resulting in the walls of the bladder also expanding and thickening. Over time, the bladder weakens and retains some volume after urination.

Urinary Incontinence In Women: What You Need To Know

• Urinary incontinence is the accidental loss of urine.

• Over 25 million adult Americans experience temporary or chronic urinary incontinence.

• This condition can occur at any age, but it is more common in women over the age of 50.

• There are four types of urinary incontinence: urgency, stress, functional and overflow incontinence.

• Behavioral therapies, medications, nerve stimulation and surgery are some of the treatments available for managing urinary incontinence.

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When Should You Go To The Er

Serious issues that cause fainting include heart problems, which temporarily lower your blood pressure. In these scenarios, you may experience palpitations your heart is skipping a beat or racing shortness of breath, or chest tightness. Experiencing these symptoms are clear indicators that you should take a trip to the emergency room. Make sure that you either call an ambulance or have someone else drive you never drive yourself.

If you experience minor fainting episodes caused by suddenly standing up or heat exhaustion, then you may not need to visit an emergency room. An exception is made if falling after fainting has caused damage to your body including concussions, fractures, or other severe injuries. If youve hit your head when fainting, are excessively bleeding, or are in pain and seemed to have broken a limb, have someone drive you to an emergency care clinic or call for an ambulance.

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Symptoms Of Bowel Continence Problems

People with bowel control problems may experience:

• leaking from the bowel with the urge to open their bowels
• rushing to the toilet and feeling the need to urgently open their bowels
• leaking from the bowel without the urge to open their bowels
• leaking from the bowel on passing wind
• being unable to control wind
• straining to empty their bowels.

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