Imagine being at home 24/7 or stepping out with the fear that you can experience leaking of the urine anytime? It is stressful and extremely embarrassing!
Urinary incontinence — the loss of bladder control — is a common problem among men and women. However, this condition is more common in women than men. The severity of this disease ranges from when you cough or sneeze to experiencing a strong desire to urinate, which ultimately leads to leakage. Though it mostly occurs among older adults, it is not the only risk factor. Various other factors can cause urinary incontinence among you. Below mentioned is everything you need to know about urinary incontinence.
What is Urinary Incontinence?
The urinary system is made up of organs like the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. All these organs together help filter and remove waste from your body. The way this system works is, the waste products are removed along with the blood from the body, creating urine. It moves down through thin tubes called ureters, that are connected to the bladder. The urine gets collected here and when it is full, the brain sends it a signal for the urine to leave the bladder. This entire process along with a considerable level of control gives you time to get to the bathroom in time. But when this process or certain organs in the urinary system don’t function properly, you experience what is called urinary incontinence.
What are the different types of Urinary Incontinence?
Urge Incontinence: In this type of incontinence you usually have an intense need to urinate. The urge is so intense that you don’t have time to make it to the toilet. This type of urine incontinence is caused due to an overactive bladder (OAB), which is developed because of various reasons such as weak pelvic muscles, nerve damage, infection and menopause. This is a very common type of urinary incontinence and may restrict various activities. In this type of urinary incontinence, the brain signals the bladder to pass urine when it is empty or before it is even full. This causes the urge to pass urine.
Stress Incontinence: In this type of urine incontinence, your pelvic floor muscles are weak and don’t support your pelvic organs as they should. Due to this condition, you tend to accidentally leak urine when you move around or do the smallest activities. You can experience mild, moderate or severe stress urinary incontinence. This type of urinary incontinence is usually noticed among women who have just given birth or among men who have had prostate surgery.
Overflow Incontinence: People who don’t tend to empty their bladder, could be suffering from overflow incontinence. As they are unable to empty their bladder, leaving them at risk of leaking urine over a period in small amounts. This type of urinary incontinence is rarely found among women and mostly occurs in men who have had prostate problems or surgery.
Mixed Incontinence: This is usually a combination of several problems that lead to leakage issues. You might be having stress, overflow and urge incontinence, all at the same time. If you or a loved one is suffering from mixed incontinence, you need to closely monitor your activities during leakage issues. This will help you understand what your triggers are and will help you manage them better.
Treatment of Urinary Incontinence
Thankfully, urinary incontinence can be treated depending on your condition or type of urinary incontinence. There are 3 primary treatments available — medication, lifestyle changes and surgery. Depending on how severe or mild your condition is, your doctor will recommend the type of treatment best suited for you. These treatments will help you maintain bladder and urinary health. Keep a check on the food that might trigger the incontinence, practice pelvic floor muscle exercises and consider your weight.
If you are looking for the best urinary incontinence treatment in Bangalore, SMILES Gastroenterology is for you. It has the best team of expert doctors in place that will suggest the best incontinence treatment in Bangalore after thoroughly analysing your condition. Don’t wait until it is too late. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
