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
- 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
When To Contact A Medical Professional
Talk to your provider about incontinence. Providers who treat incontinence are gynecologists and urologists that specialize in this problem. They can find the cause and recommend treatments.
- Difficulty talking, walking, or speaking
- Sudden weakness, numbness, or tingling in an arm or leg
- Loss of consciousness or confusion
- Loss of bowel control
- Cloudy or bloody urine
- Frequent or urgent need to urinate
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Trouble starting your urine flow
What Is Urinary Incontinence Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention
Urinary incontinence , the involuntary loss of urine, is a very common condition that no one wants to talk about. Because of the stigma that surrounds it, many people are too humiliated to seek help. But most conditions that cause UI can be corrected with medical or alternative interventions.
Occurring much more often in women than men, UI happens when the muscles in the bladder that control the flow of urine contract or relax involuntarily, resulting in leaks or uncontrolled urination. UI itself is not a disease, but it can be a symptom of an underlying medical issue.
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Why Is It So Difficult To Talk About Bladder Control
Millions of men and women suffer from loss of bladder control. Bladder incontinence is twice as common in women because pregnancy, childbirth and menopause can affect pelvic muscle strength and damage nerves that control the bladder.
Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed to talk about their bladder control problems, yet many effective treatments are available. Your doctor may not ask about urinary function during an exam, so you should speak up if you are struggling with bladder control issues.
How Do You Stop Frequent Urination In Elderly
Do you have an elderly loved one that is frequently urinating? Are they constantly going to the bathroom and not even realizing it!
If this sounds like your situation, then you are definitely not alone.
Urinary incontinence can be a major problem for older adults, but there are ways to help manage the symptoms.
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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.
Overview And Facts About Male Urinary Incontinence
Male urinary incontinence, or the involuntary loss of bladder control, affects between 2 and 15 percent of men ages 15 to 64 and 5 to 15 percent of men over 60 not living at a senior assisted living facility.
The four main types of male urinary incontinence are:
- Stress urinary incontinence, which is due to weak pelvic floor muscles allowing urine to escape.
- Urge incontinence, which is characterized by the intense need to urinate that often cannot be controlled.
- Overflow incontinence, which occurs when more urine is made than the bladder can hold or when the bladder is full and cannot empty, thereby causing urine leakage.
- Mixed incontinence, which is a combination of stress and urge incontinence.
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Tests And Diagnosis Of Male Urinary Incontinence
A urologist will begin the diagnosis by asking a series of questions about the symptoms. To help make a definitive diagnosis, a doctor will likely recommend:
- A urinalysis to check for signs of an infection or other abnormalities.
- Keeping a bladder diary to record the times and amounts of urination, along with any incontinence episodes.
- Performing post-void residual measurements, or urinating in a container that measures urine output and checking the amount of leftover urine in the bladder.
- Performing urodynamics – a study of the coordination between the nerves, the bladder and the ability to sense.
When To Seek Medical Help
Any instance of incontinence is reason to seek medical help. It may be a symptom of a more serious condition that needs to be treated.
Even if the underlying cause isnt serious, incontinence can be a major disruption in your life. Its important to get an accurate diagnosis and discuss treatment options with a healthcare professional.
In some cases, incontinence can be a sign of a medical emergency.
You should seek immediate medical attention if you lose control of your bladder and experience any of the following symptoms:
- trouble speaking or walking
Urinary incontinence and treatment for urinary incontinence may result in complications, depending on the cause.
These complications may include:
- Urinary tract infections. UTIs can be caused by wet undergarments against the skin. This may create an environment where bacteria can grow.
- Kidney damage. In some cases where the flow of urine is obstructed, you may experience kidney trouble or kidney failure.
- Cellulitis. This skin infection is caused by bacteria and may cause swelling and pain.
- Medication side effects. Medications used to control urinary incontinence may cause side effects, depending on the medication. Side effects may include dry mouth, nausea, hypertension, or others.
- Catheter side effects. If you have a catheter placed, you may experience side effects such as infection and trauma.
- Mental health side effects. Urinary incontinence may cause feelings of anxiety, depression, or social isolation.
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Causes Of Lack Of Bladder Control In Dogs
Urethral disorders are the most common cause of loss of bladder control for dogs. The muscles that involuntarily close the urethra are weakened and unable to contract properly, leading to urine leakage. This occurs as a result of urinary tract infection, inflammation, hormone responsive urinary incontinence, a prostatic disease for male dogs and a vestibulovaginal anomaly in female dogs. Hormone-responsive urinary incontinence occurs in neutered and spayed female dogs and is seen most commonly in spayed females.
Other causes include:
Treatment Of Lack Of Bladder Control In Dogs
Incontinence Drugs such as ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine to treat urethral disorders by strengthening urethral sphincter, and/or hormone replacement medications such as estrogen or diethylstilbestrol might be prescribed. To determine the best fit for your dog, these may be prescribed in trials. Once a drug has proven effective for your dog, it will need to be taken on a regular basis indefinitely in order to control the incontinence. This is the most common treatment method, and the majority of dogs respond well to a combination of these medications.
Surgery will be the only option in order to treat an ectopic ureter or other anatomical abnormalities. A bladder tumor may be removed through surgery, but will first need to be biopsied in order to determine if it is cancerous.
Antibiotics will likely be prescribed to treat urinary tract infections.
Diet and weight management will be utilized in order to manage obesity.
Corticosteroids or other medications to control symptoms will be considered to treat neurological causes of urinary incontinence.
Training will be used to address the stress or fear causing urine retention.
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Temporary Loss Of Bladder Control
Some food items, beverages and even medication may act as diuretics and increase the urine output.
They could be caffeine, alcohol, soda, chocolate, chilli peppers, spicy food, sweet or acidic food items like citrus fruits, high doses of vitamin C, heart and BP medications, sedatives and muscle relaxants.
Other reasons that can cause temporary urinary continence include
Urinary Tract Infection- An infection in your bladder can cause sudden urges to urinate and lead to urinary incontinence.
Constipation The formation of hard stool in your rectum can put pressure on the bladder nerves and increase the frequency of urination.
Persistent Loss of Bladder Control
Loss of bladder control can also be caused by physical problems or changes caused by
Pregnancy The hormonal changes in the womans body and the growing weight of the foetus can cause stress incontinence which creates an urge to urinate.
Childbirth A normal delivery can weaken the muscles needed for bladder control. It can damage the pelvic floor and can cause dislodgement in the position of the urethra leading to urinary incontinence.
Menopause -After the onset of menopause, women produce lower quantities of estrogen that keeps the lining of the bladder and urethra healthy. Deterioration of these tissues can increase incontinence.
Old age With old age, the bladder muscle can weaken, reducing the capacity to retain urine. Involuntary bladder contractions can increase with age and cause loss of bladder control.
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.
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What Can We Do About It
First off, go see a urologist. Ill do a physical exam, talk to you about your symptoms and how long theyve been going on, and run a test on your urine. If these dont give us a solid diagnosis of the problem, we may do other tests.
How we treat male incontinence is based on what we find out as the cause, and also on how much the control problems are affecting your life. At Urology Associates, we generally like to start with what you can do on your own and go from there.
If lifestyle changes dont solve your problems, we may move to medications. Some cases may require surgery, but not that many do.
- Nerve stimulation for OAB. Also called neuromodulation therapy, this involves implanting a small device under the skin near the tailbone that sends electrical impulses to the nerves going to the bladder. It acts like a heart pacemaker by controlling bladder contractions. Other neuromodulation therapies may also help.
- Sling surgery for severe urinary incontinence. A bulbourethal sling goes under the bulb part of the urethra and is secured to bone or muscle. This lifts up and compresses the urethra, helping it resist pressure from the abdomen.
- Urethral bulking. To prevent urine leakage, we close a hole in the urethra or thicken its wall by adding material to it.
- Adding an artificial sphincter. This is an inflatable silicone device we place around the urethra that acts like the sphincter muscle.
Is Bowel Incontinence Normal In Elderly
For older persons, fecal incontinence , defined as soiling of underwear, clothes, or bedding on a regular basis or more than once a month, is a common and debilitating health concern. One in in five older persons over the age of 65 is affected by FI, with adults over the age of 80 reporting more frequent leakage and higher soiling than those in lower age groups.
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When To Seek Medical Advice
See a GP if you have any type of urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is a common problem and you should not feel embarrassed talking to them about your symptoms.
This can also be the first step towards finding a way to effectively manage the problem.
The GP may also suggest you keep a diary in which you note how much fluid you drink and how often you have to urinate.
Find out about diagnosing urinary incontinence.
Duration Of Urinary Incontinence
Most cases of UI are chronic, and will remain so until treated. Depending on the cause, however, not all UI cases are chronic. If the cause is temporary, such as a vaginal infection or a urinary tract infection, the UI will stop once the issue is addressed.
Recommended Reading: Bladder Pacemaker For Urinary Retention
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Causes Of Overflow Incontinence
Overflow incontinence, also called chronic urinary retention, is often caused by a blockage or obstruction to your bladder. Your bladder may fill up as usual, but as it is obstructed you will not be able to empty it completely, even when you try.
At the same time, pressure from the urine that is still in your bladder builds up behind the obstruction, causing frequent leaks.
Your bladder can become obstructed as a result of:
Overflow incontinence may also be caused by your detrusor muscle not fully contracting, which means that your bladder does not completely empty when you go to the toilet. As a result, the bladder becomes stretched. Your detrusor muscles may not fully contract if:
- there is damage to your nerves, for example as a result of surgery to part of your bowel or a spinal cord injury
- you are taking certain medications
Common Causes Of Urinary Incontinence In Men
Other common causes of incontinence in men are nerve and muscle control problems. There is a muscle at the opening of your bladder called the urinary sphincter. This muscle allows you to open and close your bladder. Anything that affects the nerve or muscle function of your sphincter can cause incontinence.
- Spinal injury. Spinal cord injuries affect nearly 18,000 Americans each year, and more than 80% of them are men. Nerve signals between the bladder and the spine go and come very low in the spine, so any severe injury to the spine is likely to cause incontinence. An injury to the upper part of the spine can cause the bladder to empty uncontrollably. This condition is called spastic bladder. An injury lower in the spine can cause the bladder to fill and stretch without being able to empty. This condition is called flaccid bladder.
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Temporary causes of incontinence. You can also have temporary episodes of urinary incontinence. These can be caused by drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, being constipated, having a urinary tract infection, or being depressed. Medications are another possible cause. These medications include over-the-counter cold medications that contain antihistamines or decongestants, diuretics used to treat high blood pressure, and some medications used to treat depression.
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Bad Cough Causes Loss Of Bowel Bladder Control
- THE PEOPLEâS PHARMACY Joe and Teresa Gradeon
Q. Iâve had a terrible cough, so violent that Iâve wetand sometimes even soiled myself. For the past several weeks, Iâvebeen vomiting from coughing so hard.
I take lisinopril and amlodipine for high bloodpressure. I suspect that one of them is the cause of my horridcough. Is this possible?
A. The most common and bothersome side effectof popular blood pressure drugs like benazepril, captopril,enalapril, fosinopril, lisinopril and ramipril is an uncontrollablecough. Many readers have reported throwing up because of this sideeffect. Patients should always be alerted to this potential adversereaction.
We are sending you our Guide to Blood Pressure Treatment with adiscussion of the pros and cons of a range of medications and manynondrug alternatives. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3in check or money order with a long , stamped ,self-addressed envelope to:
Graedonsâ Peopleâs Pharmacy
No. B-67, P.O. Box 52027
Durham, N.C. 27717-2027
Although amlodipine is unlikely to cause cough, it can lead toswollen ankles because of fluid retention. Other side effects mayinclude headache, dizziness, nausea and fatigue.
Q. My family has switched almost entirely to using seasalt in cooking. Are we now at greater risk of developing a goiterbecause weâre not using iodized salt?
What You Can Do About It
Hopefully, your bladder control issue can be taken care of primarily by your own actions. Here are things you can do.
- To strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, do exercises like Kegels, the ones women do that are essentially tightening your muscles like youre trying to hold back urine.
- Maintain a healthy weight, as carrying too many pounds means more pressure on the bladder.
- Reduce caffeine consumption because its a diuretic that increases urination.
- Dont have more than one alcoholic drink a day.
- Also limit carbonated beverages.
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When To See Your Doctor
Itâs time to get things checked out if:
- You have to go to the bathroom a lot more than usual, and often canât hold in your urine until you get to the toilet
- You leak when you sneeze, cough, or even stand up
- You leak at random times, even if you didnât cough or sneeze
- You feel like your bladder still has urine in it, even after you go
- Your stream of urine is weak
- You have to strain when you urinate
- It hurts to urinate
- You feel pressure in your lower abdomen
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