Urinary incontinence (UI) occurs when a person loses control of their bladder. This can look like leaking a little urine or having such a strong urge to go to the bathroom that you can’t hold urine in before getting to a bathroom. UI is fairly common, especially among the older population. However, it isn’t commonly spoken about.
Many people are embarrassed that they are no longer able to control their bladder. UI is not only associated with physical discomfort, but negative social, emotional, and mental effects. People may withdraw, preferring not to go out. UI is usually very treatable with lifestyle adjustments and those experiencing it can often maintain their quality of life.
There are 5 types of UI and each looks a little different. Some people will experience very minor leaks while others deal with a larger loss of urine. Types of UI include:
UI can be temporary, long-term, or caused by another medical condition.
Temporary UI is caused by food, drinks, and medications that increase the body’s urge to urinate. These include:
Medical conditions that cause UI are urinary tract infections (UTIs) and constipation. Long-term UI can be caused by medical conditions or changes in the body. These include:
Risk factors for UI include being assigned female at birth, excess weight, older age, family history, and living with neurological disorders or diabetes.
Your doctor will want to treat the type of UI that you have. When determining this, your doctor will do a physical examination and get a medical history that will decide a treatment plan. There are a few tests your doctor may run. A sample of your urine may be taken for analysis so your doctor can see if there is anything abnormal in it, like blood.
Complications of UI include:
There are a lot of treatment options for UI, and the best treatment option varies case to case. Behavioural treatment modifies day-to-day behaviour to prevent being taken by surprise by UI. An example of this is going to the bathroom on a schedule, not simply when you need to. Pelvic floor muscle exercises, or Kegels, help increase the strength of the bladder muscles.
There are a variety of medications that can help the bladder muscles relax and gentle electrical stimulation can be used to relax the muscles of the entire pelvis.
Injections of Botox and other man-made materials are usually used if other treatment methods haven’t worked to help minimise leakage. Surgery is done when all other options have been exhausted. A doctor may also recommend a long-term catheter – a tube that drains the bladder- if you experience UI because your bladder cannot empty fully.