Urinary incontinence, also known as overactive bladder, is when a person leaks urine by accident and experiences an urgent and frequent need to visit the bathroom. In older people, it affects more women than men.

Urinary incontinence can happen for many reasons. However, aging can be a major cause in older adults. Age-related causes include:

• Weak or loose bladder or pelvic muscles
• Overactive bladder muscles
• Damage to nerves that control the bladder from age-related diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease
• Declining neurological sensation and responses
• Enlarged prostate gland in men
• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Disease conditions that affect how fast they get to the bathroom, such as arthritis, obesity, etc.

Types of urinary incontinence

There are different types of incontinence:

Urge incontinence: sudden, pressing need to pass urine. It is seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease.

Frequency: urinating more than eight times a day or more than once at night.

Stress Incontinence: urine leaks due to pressure from exercise, laughing, coughing, or sneezing.

Overflow Incontinence: urine leaks in a constant dribble when the bladder is full due to bladder outlet obstruction, enlarged prostate gland, spinal cord injuries, and diabetes.

Functional Incontinence: “disability-associated” incontinence, where older people with normal bladder control cannot get to the toilet in time or successfully. It can be due to arthritis or dementia.

Treatment

Older people with urinary incontinence should see their doctor. Treatment depends on the type, cause, and patient’s lifestyle. Usually, a combination of treatments is employed to treat urinary incontinence.

Treatment options include:

• Pelvic muscles exercise (Kegel)
• Bladder control training
• Timed voiding
• Urgency suppression
• Medications
• Catheters
• Biofeedback
• Electrical nerve stimulation
• Surgery
• Lifestyle changes such as eliminating alcohol, coffee, tea, and sodas, losing weight, quitting smoking
• Avoiding lifting weights
• Preventing constipation

The post Urinary Incontinence As You Age appeared first on Women's Health and Menopause Center.

We get pretty good at knowing how and when to go to the bathroom once we’re out of diapers. Then one day, something changes, and you begin to question whether you need to get back into diapers again.

After years of having things under control, you start to lose it. A sudden cough or sneeze can produce leakage. Maybe you were doing an exercise or riding an amusement park ride. Many things can cause it, but how do you stop incontinence?

It Happens to Most of Us

This can be a difficult subject for some women to discuss because it’s embarrassing. Who wants to tell their friends that they peed their pants?

The reality is that this happens to most of us. Researchers reported that between 3% and 17% of women experience it. That sounds like a very conservative estimate, considering how many people prefer to hide the problem.

If you are pregnant or have given birth, then you are more likely to experience incontinence. That’s because your pelvic floor is weaker, which makes it harder to hold urine. Anything that applies pressure can cause leakage – even something as simple as a laugh.

Taking Control of Your Bladder

Knowing that other women deal with this problem may be comforting, but it doesn’t give us any real solutions. So how do you retake control of your bladder?

Kegel exercises are one option. They tighten the pelvic floor and improve strength. You can do them on your own or talk to a gynecologist if you need guidance. Call Women’s Health office today for a gynecological exam, so we can provide you with the best treatment plan for your female incontinence.

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