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 Loss of bladder control (incontinence)
affects approximately 1 out of every 25 Americans; 80% of these
are women. It can happen to anyone, at any age, due to a wide
range of contributing causes. The problem is all around us, yet
almost no one talks about it. Even fewer seek treatments that
can help them. Only 50% of those with some form of incontinence
ever tell their physicians.
What Is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is involuntary loss of urine. It is not a
normal part of aging. For women, incontinence may be the result
of
  pelvic
muscles weakened from childbirth,
stroke,
diabetes,
bladder
infection,
side
effects of medication,
prior
surgery, or
radiation
treatments.
Causes Of Incontinence
There are many causes of urinary incontinence. Some of these
causes are related to temporary conditions. Once they are
treated, the incontinence usually goes away. Temporary causes
include:
Urinary
tract infection
Constipation
Certain
medications
Increased
dietary intake of caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners
and carbonated beverages
Some other causes of incontinence are not temporary. There is,
however, treatment available for many of these conditions. Other
causes include:
Weakness
of the muscles that hold the bladder in place
Weakness
of the bladder and or the sphincter muscles
Overactive
or underactive bladder muscles
Decreases
in certain hormones, especially estrogen
Neurological
disorders (ex: Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease)
Types Of Incontinence
There are four types of incontinence; however, the two most
common are referred to as stress and urge incontinence.
STRESS INCONTINENCE occurs
when sphincter or pelvic muscles have been damaged, causing the
bladder to leak during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing,
or any body movement that puts pressure on the bladder. This
type of incontinence commonly affects women following multiple
childbirth or menopause.
URGE INCONTINENCE is the
urgent need to pass urine and the inability to get to a toilet
in time. It occurs when there is a sudden bladder contraction
that cannot be consciously inhibited.
Call us today for an appointment.
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