Urinary incontinence (UI) is the accidental loss of urine.UI can occur at any age, but it is more common among women over 50.. It can range from the discomfort of slight losses of urine to severe, frequent wetting.
There are different types of urinary incontinence
- Urgency incontinence: This is the inability to hold urine long enough to reach a restroom.
- Stress incontinence: This is the leakage of urine during straining activities such as exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting heavy objects or performing other body movements that put pressure on the bladder.
- Functional incontinence: This is urine leakage due to a difficulty reaching a restroom in time because of physical conditions, such as arthritis, injury or other disabilities.
- Overflow incontinence. Leakage occurs when the quantity of urine produced exceeds the bladder’s capacity to hold it.
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
- Urine leakage with coughing, sneezing or laughing
- Leakage of urine that began or continued after surgery
- 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.
Urinary incontinence is diagnosed with a complete physical examination that focuses on the urinary and nervous systems, reproductive organs, and urine samples.
Treatment may include:
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- Behavioraltherapie: Bladder training: Toileting assistance:
- Diet modifications: Eliminating bladder irritants, such as caffeine, alcohol and citrus fruits.
- Pelvic muscle rehabilitation (to improve pelvic muscle tone and prevent leakage):
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- Kegel exercises: Regular, daily exercising of pelvic muscles can improve, and even prevent, urinary incontinence.
- Biofeedback: Used with Kegel exercises, biofeedback helps people gain awareness and control of their pelvic muscles.
- Vaginal weight training: Small weights are held within the vagina by tightening the vaginal muscles.
- Pelvic floor electrical stimulation: Mild electrical pulses stimulate muscle contractions.
- Medication :
- Anticholinergic medications
- Vaginal estrogen
- Pessary (small rubber device that is worn inside the vagina to prevent leakage)
- Office procedure
- Botox injections into bladder
- Urethral bulking agents
- Peripheral nerve stimulation
- Surgery
- Slings (may be made from synthetic mesh or from your own tissue)
- Bladder suspension
- Peripheral nerve stimulation