Urinary incontinence is the leakage of urine that you can’t control. Many American men and women suffer from urinary incontinence. We really don’t know for sure how many. That’s because many people don’t tell anyone about their symptoms. They may be too embarrassed, or they may think that nothing can be done, so they suffer in silence. Urinary incontinence is not just a medical problem. It can also affect the emotional and psychological and social life of the individual. In elderly patients it can be a significant fall risk. Many people who have urinary incontinence are afraid to do normal daily activities. They don’t wanna be too far from a toilet. And it can keep people from really enjoying life. Women who have had a baby have higher rates of urinary incontinence. The risk also increases with the number of children born, and it’s true also for cesarean section patients as well as those who have had vaginal deliveries. Women who develop urinary incontinence while pregnant are more likely to have it afterward.

Women after menopause may also develop urinary incontinence. And although this is maybe related to some changes in estrogen levels, taking estrogen has not been shown to help urinary incontinence. In addition, men who also may have prostate problems are at increased risk for urinary incontinence. Sometimes that may be related to changes that occur in the prostate that affect changes occurring in the bladder, increasing the incontinence risk. Some medications are linked to urinary incontinence. And some medications make it worse. Statistics show that poor overall health places people at increased risk for urinary incontinence. Other medical conditions such as diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, smoking are also linked to higher incidences of urinary incontinence. Obesity also increases the likelihood of urinary incontinence.

There are four main types of urinary incontinence. Stress urinary incontinence, which is the leakage of urine associated with physical activities: coughing, sneezing, laughing, standing, jumping. Overactive bladder, or urge incontinence as it’s commonly referred to, occurs more often with sudden urge to urinate, the gotta go syndrome. Mixed incontinence can be a combination of the above. And overflow incontinence, which occurs if the bladder does not completely empty and urine will leak out, typically at higher pressures. That occurs commonly, or may occur commonly in people with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or longer-standing obstructions of the bladder.

Now what are the treatment options for urinary incontinence? Well, there are a number of mechanical devices that are commonly used, many of which we try to rid the patients of needing eventually. But these may include things such as indwelling catheters, external collection devices, some that we call condom catheters to collect the urine, urine drainage bags. Patients that may not be able to empty their bladder can perform catheterization on themselves or intermittent catheterization. There are a number of absorbent products or toileting substitutes and skin care products that can help to protect people from the effects of urinary incontinence. Now the other treatment options in an attempt to cure incontinence may include things such as medications.

There are treatments that the patients can do themselves, or what we call pelvic floor exercises or pelvic floor therapy, commonly Kegel exercises people may have heard of. There are surgical treatment options depending on the type of incontinence. Those things may include urinary slings to help compress the urethra and prevent the leakage of urine with increases in abdominal pressure. There are bladder suspension type of procedures also that may help as a form of treatment of urinary incontinence. There are treatments that can affect the nerves if it’s related to overactive neural activity of the bladder, things such as percutaneous tibial nerve stimulators or sacral neuromodulation. These involve minimally invasive procedures that can affect the neural overactivity of the bladder in a very effective way.

At Northwoods Urology, we understand the importance of urologic health. Visit our website for more tips about urinary incontinence. If you suffer from any of these symptoms and would like a professional approach, contact our office for an appointment.