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What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is completely common. It impacts many people all over the UK and the world. Essentially, it is the involuntary leakage of urine. It can affect people of all ages and genders, though it is more common in women and older adults. The severity ranges from occasional minor leaks to a complete loss of bladder control, significantly impacting how you go about your daily life.
Even though the exact cause can vary, understanding urinary incontinence can help you and others find the right treatment, enabling you to manage symptoms more effectively.
What is it?
Urinary incontinence happens when a person loses the ability to control how their bladder stores and releases urine. This can be down to a range of reasons which we will cover shortly, but it’s often due to physical changes in the body, underlying medical conditions, or even lifestyle factors. People with this condition may experience anything from mild leaks when sneezing or laughing, to a sudden and uncontrollable urge to urinate.
What are the 4 types of urinary incontinence?
There are four types of urinary incontinence that we often see:
Stress Incontinence
One of the most common types of urinary incontinence is stress incontinence. This happens when the bladder leaks urine due to physical pressure. This pressure could be triggered by actions such as coughing, laughing, exercising, or lifting heavy objects. It is more common in women, particularly after childbirth or menopause, as the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder weaken.
Urge Incontinence
Urge incontinence, also known as “overactive bladder,” involves a sudden, intense urge to urinate, followed by involuntary leakage. This condition often causes frequent trips to the bathroom, including waking up multiple times during the night (nocturia). It is commonly linked to neurological conditions, infections, or bladder irritants such as caffeine or alcohol.
Overflow Incontinence
Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder doesn’t empty completely, leading to frequent dribbling of urine. It is often the result of an obstruction or weakened bladder muscles.
Functional Incontinence
Functional incontinence happens when a person has normal bladder control but cannot reach the toilet in time due to physical or mental limitations. For example, someone with severe arthritis might struggle to move quickly enough.
What can cause urinary incontinence?
There are numerous potential causes of urinary incontinence, which can vary based on the type. Some common factors include:
- Pregnancy and childbirth: These can weaken the pelvic floor muscles, leading to stress incontinence. You can find out more about this in our blog ‘Understanding urinary leakage after childbirth’.
- Ageing: As we age, bladder muscles may weaken, reducing the bladder’s ability to store urine properly.
- Menopause: A drop in estrogen can affect the health of the bladder, making incontinence more likely.
- Prostate issues in men: An enlarged prostate or prostate surgery can result in both stress and urge incontinence.
- Obesity: Extra weight places additional pressure on the bladder, increasing the risk of leaks
How to help urinary incontinence
While urinary incontinence can be distressing, many effective management strategies can help reduce symptoms:
- Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels): Strengthening the pelvic muscles can be highly effective for stress and urge incontinence.
- Bladder training: This technique involves scheduling bathroom visits to increase bladder control and reduce the frequency of sudden urges.
- Lifestyle changes: Cutting down on bladder irritants like caffeine, alcohol, and acidic foods can help. Maintaining a healthy weight also reduces pressure on the bladder.
- Medications: If other treatments do not work, medications to relax bladder muscles or may be recommended by healthcare professionals.
Why not take a read of our blog on five tips for managing urinary incontinence effectively?
