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Urinary incontinence can be an undetected and undertreated
health problem. It can have a significant impact on the physical,
functional and psychological makeup of an individual. Once
identified, urinary incontinence can usually be successfully
treated, improving the quality of life that the individual,
regardless of age, experiences.
The major types of urinary incontinence include:
| Urge Incontinence: |
Involuntary leakage accompanied by or immediately preceded
by urgency. You don’t have time to get to a toilet. This
is common in the elderly and may be a sign of an infection
in the bladder or kidneys. |
| Stress Incontinence: |
Involuntary leakage because of sudden pressure on your
lower stomach and pelvic muscles (which may have become
weakened due to childbirth or abdominal surgery). You
may laugh, cough, sneeze or lift something which result
in the sphincter mechanisms not staying fully closed,
causing some leakage. |
| Mixed Incontinence: |
Leakage caused by a combination of the above two cases. |
| Overflow Incontinence: |
The constant dripping of urine. It is caused by an
overfilled bladder. When urinating there may be intermittent
flow, hesitancy, a weak stream or dribbling. |
Urinary incontinence can be caused by a wide variety of
factors. Among the causes are:
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Diabetes or high calcium levels
- Urinary or kidney infections
- Menopausal drying/thinning of the vagina and urethra
- Excess alcohol consumption
- Drinking too much (or too little!) fluids
- Excess caffeine consumption
- Certain medications being taken for other reasons
- Certain foods and beverages that irritate your bladder
Treatment of urinary incontinence depends on the type of
incontinence you have. Your provider will do an examination
prior to making a diagnosis and a treatment plan. The treatment
of urinary incontinence falls into four broad categories:
| Behavorial Techniques: |
Kegels (pelvic floor exercises)
Fluid and diet management
Scheduled toilet trips |
| Medications: |
Antispasmodic drugs such as Detrol, Ditropan, Levsin
Mild antidepressants
Hormone (estrogen) therapy
Estrogen creams
Antibiotics (if infections are present) |
| Medical Devices: |
Pessary |
| Surgical: |
Surgical treatment should be used as a last resort.
Various procedures can be performed to address the
problems with the bladder and related muscles. |
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