Urinary Bladder Problems In Females

Strengthen Pelvic Floor Exercises

Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles as if you are trying to stop your stream of urine or bowel movement for three seconds. Relax after a count of three. These exercises can be repeated multiple times in a day. These exercises can be done in lying down, sitting or standing position. Consult your doctor, nurse or physical therapist to make sure you are doing them correctly.

What Are The Causes Of Loss Of Bladder Control

Short-term loss of bladder control may come from urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, constipation, and some medications. However, if your loss of bladder control lasts longer than a week, tell your doctor.

Long-term loss of bladder control may be caused by:

• Weak muscles in the bladder
• Overactive bladder muscles
• Damage to nerves in the bladder
• Blockage from an enlarged prostate

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Check If Its A Urinary Tract Infection

Symptoms of a UTI may include:

• pain or a burning sensation when peeing
• needing to pee more often than usual during the night
• pee that looks cloudy
• needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
• needing to pee more often than usual
• lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
• a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
• a very low temperature below 36C

What You Need To Know

• Issues with urinating or passing stools are referred to as bladder and bowel dysfunction.
• Bladder and bowel problems often originate with nerve or muscle dysfunction, as these systems control the flow of urine and the release of stool.
• Other health issues may cause bladder and/or bowel dysfunction, including medicinal side effects, stress, neurologic diseases, diabetes, hemorrhoids and pelvic floor disorders.
• Therapy and management for these conditions can range from dietary changes and exercise to electrical stimulation and surgery depending on individual diagnosis.

Bladder or bowel incontinence means a problem holding in urine or stool. You may have unwanted passage of urine or stool that you cant control. These conditions can be stressful to deal with. But dont feel embarrassed about talking to your healthcare provider. They are used to dealing with these issues, and can help you manage the problem.

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Why Choose New York Urology Specialists For Treatment Of Bladder Problems In Women

• All treatment is performed by a Board-certified urologist experienced in treating men with symptoms of frequent urination, urinary urgency, urinary incontinence and bladder pain using medical therapy, minimally invasive therapies, lasers and open surgery.
• We are one of the few practices in the region to offer a full range of options for treatment of urinary problems in men and women
• We offer treatment options for overactive bladder, UTI, and urinary incontinence in our office which avoids the risks, costs, and recovery from general anesthesia.
• Extensive Experience: Hundreds of men and women have treated successfully using medical therapy, Botox for overactive bladder, Interstim for frequent urination and tibial neuromodulation.

When it comes to experience and innovation New York Urology Specialists are a step ahead. Better Science Means Better Care. We specialize in minimally invasive highly effective treatment for symptoms of bladder pain, urethral burning, pelvic discomfort, incomplete bladder emptying, urinary frequency, and urgency. Many treatment procedures are performed in the convenience and privacy of office settings under local anesthesia.

Medicare and major insurances accepted. We offer .

Recurrent Or Chronic Bladder Infections

While most bladder infections subside within three days after treatment begins, some people suffer from recurrent or chronic bladder infections. In such cases, your symptoms may decrease during treatment but will then recur. Treating chronic bladder infections cane be complicated, and may require a combination of antibiotics, long-term medications, and aggressive preventive measures. This treatment regimen should be directed by your doctor.

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What Are The Different Types Of Bladder Control Loss

• Stress incontinence is caused by sudden pressure on the bladder. Exercise, sneezing, laughing, or heavy lifting may be just a few reasons for urine leakage. Younger and middle-aged women near or at menopause experience this most commonly.
• Urge incontinence happens when you are unable to hold on when you have an urge to urinate and cannot make it to the toilet. People with diabetes, stroke, MS, Alzheimers, and Parkinsons disease may have this problem.
• Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder is constantly full and cannot be completely emptied. An enlarged prostate blocking the urethra or a spinal cord injury may cause this condition.
• Functional incontinence may occur if you have a condition that prevents you from getting to the toilet in time. Arthritis or other disorders can keep you from being able to move quickly.

How Do I Do Kegel Exercises

To do Kegels:

If you are uncomfortable or uncertain about doing Kegel exercises on your own, a doctor or nurse can also teach you how to do Kegels. A pelvic floor physical therapist or other specialist may also be available in your area to help teach you how to strengthen these muscles.

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Bacteria In The Urine Isnt Necessarily A Problem

Elevated urinary bacteria doesnt cause any symptoms and can often be corrected by increasing fluid intake.

The condition occurs in about 6 to 16 percent of women over age 65, 20 percent of women over age 80, and 25 to 50 percent of women living in nursing facilities.

Doctors should not treat urinary bacteria with antibiotics unless there are multiple other signs or symptoms of a UTI. This can encourage antibiotic resistance and make future UTIs harder to treat, says Dr. Lathia.

The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the urine also increases the risk of serious complications, including C. difficile infection and death.

What Increases Your Risk

Sometimes several things combine to cause urinary incontinence. For example, a woman may have had multiple childbirths, be older, and have a severe cough because of chronic bronchitis or smoking. All of these might contribute to her incontinence problem.

Physical conditions that make urinary incontinence more likely include:

• Pregnancy and vaginal delivery.

Medicines and foods that may make urinary incontinence worse include:

• Caffeinated and carbonated drinks, such as coffee, tea, and soda pop.
• Alcohol drinks.
• Prescription medicines that increase urine production or relax the bladder .

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What Are The Symptoms Of Urinary Incontinence

The following are common symptoms of urinary incontinence. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• Needing to rush to the restroom and/or losing urine if you do not get to the restroom in time

• Urine leakage with movements or exercise

• Leakage of urine that prevents activities

• Urine leakage with coughing, sneezing or laughing

• Leakage of urine that began or continued after surgery

• Leakage of urine that causes embarrassment

• Constant feeling of wetness without sensation of urine leakage

• Feeling of incomplete bladder emptying

The symptoms of urinary incontinence may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

Causes Of Urinary Retention

Urinary retention has several potential causes, listed below.

• An obstruction of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder and expels it from the body. This obstruction can be caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia , urethral stricture , urinary tract stones, pelvic organ prolapse , constipation, and some cancers and other tumors. A urinary tract infection or a sexually transmitted infection can cause swelling that blocks the urethra.
• Infection or inflammation, which can be caused by conditions such as herpes simplex virus or Guillain-Barre syndrome.
• Weakened bladder muscles.
• Medications that change the way the bladder works. These may include cold medicines and antihistamines, some antidepressants and antispasmodics.
• Nerve problems. Sometimes these are caused by chronic medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, stroke and diabetes. Occasionally they are due to damage from vaginal childbirth.
• Post-operative problems. The pelvic organs sometimes are damaged during surgery. Other problems can result from surgery to the pelvic region or medicines given before or during surgery.
• Damage due to catheterization.

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You were visiting your mom and she seemed very confused and disoriented. She claimed the retirement home had moved her to a different apartment and she didnt know why.

Fortunately, you knew the reason for her confusion was not to be ignored because you had seen this out-of-sorts behavior before. Your mom hadnt been moved to a new apartment, but she probably had another urinary tract infection.

According to Washington University Clinical Associates primary care specialist Chelsea Pearson, MD, Family and caregivers are key in helping us identify infection in older adults. When you notice a sudden change in behavior- even a subtle one- you want to take it seriously.

Falls, agitation, confusion, changes in appetite, and incontinence in someone who was previously able to get to the bathroom can all be signs of a urinary tract infection or UTI.

When an older woman has a UTI, the symptoms are different from a younger woman. There might not be any painful burning during urination always a typical sign. This is because as you get older, your immune response changes its part of normal aging.

A UTI places stress on the body, says Dr. Pearson, and any type of stress, physical or emotional, can cause an older adult to become confused. For those suffering from Alzheimers disease or dementia, a UTI can make dementia temporarily worse.

You want to keep your urine clear by drinking four to six 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

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Simple Ways To Prevent A Uti In Elderly Women

Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are more than a painful medical condition. Left untreated, these infections can spread through the body. The leading cause of sepsis, an untreated UTI can ultimately result in death. For caregivers of elderly patients, learning how to recognize a UTI can be tricky as the symptoms are varied. Fortunately, there are three easy ways to avoid the onset of the infection to begin with.

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Do I Need To See A Doctor

Yes. Painful urination can be a symptom of a more serious problem. You should tell your doctor about your symptoms and how long youve had them. Tell your doctor about any medical conditions you have, such as diabetes mellitus or AIDS, because these could affect your bodys response to infection. Tell your doctor about any known abnormality in your urinary tract, and if you are or might be pregnant. Tell your doctor if youve had any procedures or surgeries on your urinary tract. He or she also need to know if you were recently hospitalized or stayed in a nursing home.

Treating Utis In The Elderly

If you think your loved one might have a urinary tract infection, see a doctor right away to avoid further complications. An urgent care clinic is a viable alternative if you cannot get an appointment with their primary care physician soon enough. Urinalysis and/or a urine culture are typically required to diagnose a UTI, determine what kind of bacteria are present in the urine and select the most appropriate antibiotic for treatment. If caught early on, a course of antibiotics typically clears the infection in no time.

Keep in mind that older individuals are also prone to a related condition called asymptomatic bacteriuria, which is characterized by the presence of bacteria in the urine but the absence of any signs or symptoms of a urinary tract infection. The estimated incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria is 15 percent or greater in women and men between 65 and 80 years of age and continues to climb after age 80 to as high as 40 to 50 percent of long-term care residents.

Research shows that most patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria do not develop symptomatic UTIs, therefore antibiotic treatment is not beneficial. In fact, antibiotic use can result in adverse side effects, such as Clostridium difficileinfection, and contribute to the development of resistant bacteria. A seniors physician will consider their symptoms and test results to differentiate between a UTI and asymptomatic bacteriuria and determine whether treatment is necessary.

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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.

Symptoms Can Be Different

In younger adults, symptoms of a UTI can be pretty dramatic: pain and burning during urination, as well as a frequent, often urgent need to pee. But Fishburne notes that symptoms are often less obvious in older adults.

Its not always easy to separate the signs of an infection like incontinence and the need to go the bathroom more frequently from other underlying conditions such as overactive bladder, which are more common in the older population. Among older adults, UTIs may cause symptoms not seen in younger people, such as confusion or agitation. That doesnt mean your loved one definitely has a UTI if they are just showing signs of delirium, stresses Fishburne. But if they have the symptoms above, lower back pain, blood in their urine or tenderness in their abdomen, they should see a physician immediately.

Some older adults may also present with a fever over 100 degrees, but this does not occur in every situation and would more suggest involvement of the upper urinary tract or the kidneys. Any of these symptoms should prompt a call to your doctor. At-home test kits arent always accurate and may often be unnecessary.

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Urinary Tract Infections In Elderly Patients: How Best To Diagnose And Treat

How is urinary tract infection best managed in elderly persons?

Genitourinary infection is the second most common type of infection in community-dwelling adults older than 65 years it occurs only slightly less frequently than upper respiratory tract infection. 1 The presentation of UTI in elderly patients may differ significantly from that in younger ones. Chronic urinary symptoms are common in elderly persons, and the classic triad of UTI-frequency, urgency, and dysuria-occurs routinely in older persons without infection.2 As many as one third of community- dwelling elderly women are incontinent, which can further confuse the presentation. A high index of suspicion is needed first to entertain the diagnosis and then to pursue a thorough evaluation.A variety of risk factors predispose older persons to UTIs . In those between ages 50 and 70 years, the most common are urinary tract surgery, incontinence, cystocele, high postvoid residual volume, and low estrogen levels. Neurogenic conditions of the bladderparticularly those associated with diabetes and with anticholinergic medicationalsopredispose to UTI.3 In patients older than 70 years, risk factors include the use of multiple antibiotics, the presence of an indwelling catheter, and a history of UTI.

Causes Of Urinary Incontinence

Stress incontinence is usually the result of the weakening of or damage to the muscles used to prevent urination, such as the pelvic floor muscles and the urethral sphincter.

Urge incontinence is usually the result of overactivity of the detrusor muscles, which control the bladder.

Overflow incontinence is often caused by an obstruction or blockage in your bladder, which prevents it from emptying fully.

Total incontinence may be caused by a problem with the bladder from birth, a spinal injury, or a small, tunnel like hole that can form between the bladder and a nearby area .

Certain things can increase the chances of urinary incontinence, including:

• pregnancy and vaginal birth

Find out more about the causes of urinary incontinence.

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