Urinary Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence

AUGUST 31, 2022

Over 33 million people in America experience urinary incontinence of some kind. That makes urinary incontinence quite common, especially for women–who experience these issues at twice the rate as men. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean you have to accept the discomfort of urinary incontinence symptoms as natural or inevitable.

With the right treatments and therapies, urinary incontinence can often be managed so successfully that you’ll be able to leisurely enjoy your next family get together or take your time on a long hike through the park without a second thought.

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Female urinary incontinence is usually defined as the temporary loss of bladder control or as a urinary leak. There are two common types of urinary incontinence:

  • Stress Incontinence: When a sudden stress on your bladder causes momentary loss of control, that’s usually referred to as stress incontinence. This can occur with a laugh, a cough, during exercise, or during any number of other sudden body functions. Stress incontinence may become more pronounced with age or after having a baby.
  • Urge Incontinence: When you feel a surprising and overwhelming urge to urinate, that’s usually referred to as urge incontinence. You may also feel the need to urinate more frequently or more spontaneously. Urge incontinence can develop for a wide variety of reasons, from infection to nerve damage to diabetes. 

The two types of urinary incontinence are not mutually exclusive. It’s entirely possible for women to experience both urge and stress incontinence. As a result, you may find yourself locating the restrooms when you enter a new restaurant or planning your morning job to follow a route with available public lavatories. 

Often, symptoms can be relatively minor and easy to manage on your own. But it’s important to emphasize that there are treatments and therapies available that can provide significant relief should symptoms begin to impact your overall quality of life.

So if you’re experiencing symptoms of urinary incontinence–even minor ones–talk to your OBGYN today about your options.

What Causes Urinary Incontinence?

There’s no single underlying cause for all types and forms of urinary incontinence. Temporary incontinence, for example, could be caused by something as simple as drinking a strong cup of coffee or having a few too many chili peppers in your stir fry. Persistent urinary incontinence, however, usually has a more significant cause. Some of those causes can include:

  • Aging: As you age, your bladder may change. And those changes could lead to either stress incontinence or urge incontinence. In addition to physical changes, Menopause can lead to a decrease in the production of estrogen, a hormone that helps keep the bladder and urethra healthy. This can also lead to urinary incontinence.
  • Pregnancy and childbirth: Both pregnancy and childbirth can have an exceptional impact on the bladder and urinary tract. Pregnancy can produce hormone changes that produce incontinence, while vaginal childbirth can weaken the muscles used for bladder control. 
  • Hysterectomy: Undergoing major surgery, such as a hysterectomy, can lead to an increase in urinary incontinence. That’s because the bladder is supported by muscles and ligaments of the uterus. In general, any surgery involving the reproductive system could create urinary incontinence. But those risks will change depending on the procedure in question.
  • Obstructions: A growth or obstruction in the urinary tract can alter the normal course of urine through your body. This can trick your system into thinking that it has to urinate more frequently or more urgently. Urinary stones may also sometimes cause urinary incontinence.
  • Tobacco use: While not necessarily a cause, per se, tobacco use can increase your risk of developing urinary incontinence. 
  • Diet: Your diet can also have an impact on your overall incontinence risk. Weight gain or being overweight have both been associated with an increased risk of developing urinary incontinence. 
  • Neurological issues: Urinary incontinence can be caused by neurological issues in a couple of different ways. Some diseases, such as diabetes, can directly damage nerve cells, which results in urinary incontinence. Other conditions, such as Parkinson’s, interfere with the signals transmitted between your brain and bladder, which results in the same general symptoms but from a completely different neurological process.

How is Urinary Incontinence Treated?

There are a wide variety of effective treatments, ranging from simple exercises to surgery. The best treatment option for you will depend on your symptoms, your medical history, and the root cause of your condition. If you just had a few too many cups of coffee, for example, your best treatment option will be to simply wait for the caffeine to run through your system!

However, for persistent urinary incontinence, you will have several options:

  • Behavioral techniques and muscle exercises: There are several “at home” treatment options that have been shown to help manage urinary incontinence symptoms. One of the easiest options is to try some behavioral therapy. For example, you can train yourself to urinate at specific times of day (rather than waiting for the urge). Or you can try to wait ten minutes after the urge has struck to urinate. In terms of physical therapies, you could perform pelvic floor muscle exercises, also called kegel exercises, in order to attempt strengthening of the muscles that help control urination. You should consult with your OBGYN before engaging in any of these treatment options.
  • Medications and intervention therapies: There are a wide variety of medications available to help treat urinary incontinence. Some of these medications are designed to calm an overactive bladder, while others are intended to keep your urinary tract health optimal by increasing your estrogen levels. Your OBGYN will be able to tell which medication is right for you. Likewise, other intervention therapies, such as botulinum toxin A injections or nerve stimulators can work for some women.
  • Surgery and devices: In some cases, surgery may be required to correct certain types of urinary incontinence. The exact procedure used will depend on the root cause of your urinary incontinence. In lieu of surgery, some women may instead opt for the use of a medical device, such as a urethral insert–a tampon-like device that can be used to absorb stress-related incontinence.

For some women, a combination of therapies and treatments will provide the best results. For others, it may never completely dissipate. In those cases, devices such as catheters or absorbent pads can help you maintain your activity level and quality of life, even if your symptoms remain.

There are some ways you can attempt to prevent urinary incontinence from occurring in the first place:

  • Eat a fiber rich diet
  • Avoid the use of tobacco
  • Regularly practice kegel or pelvic floor exercises
  • Avoid food and beverage that can irritate the bladder (common examples include coffee or alcohol)
  • Try to maintain a healthy weight

The Ability to Live Normally

No matter the cause of the urinary incontinence, most women who experience this condition have one simple goal: living their lives as normally as possible. Urinary incontinence can sometimes get in the way of that. 

The good news is that the wide variety of effective treatment options means that you can usually find a successful way to keep your urinary incontinence symptoms in check. Most women, then, are able to quickly get back to their normal lives and routines. Urinary incontinence can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to stay that way and it’s not inevitable.

With the right approach, you can reassert control over your bladder and your life! If you have questions about urinary incontinence, contact our Wilmette or Glenview offices to schedule an appointment today.

Stop Suffering from Urinary Incontinence: The Treatments You Should Know

Stop Suffering from Urinary Incontinence: The Treatments You Should Know

AUGUST 31, 2022

Have you been suffering due to urinary incontinence? This inconvenient and often embarrassing issue isn’t a popular topic of conversation. However, if your quality of life has diminished due to issues of bladder control, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. Urinary incontinence is a very common condition that affects many women. It’s also often misunderstood because there can be so many causes. In some instances, a visible cause can’t even be found. If you’ve been living with urinary incontinence, there is hope. It’s time to speak with your gynecologist.

The facts on urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is an umbrella term for a variety of issues related to bladder control. There are a few specific types of urinary incontinence and your own individual experience will differ from someone else’s. Some women will experience some minor leakage under certain conditions, while others will actually saturate their clothing with regularity. No matter the severity of your individual situation, it’s important to know the facts about this complicated condition.

Here are a few ways that incontinence can manifest. Stress incontinence (the most common type) is the kind that often develops following multiple pregnancies, though that isn’t the only cause. With stress incontinence, you’ll experience urges to urinate and actual urination when pressure is exerted. This can be from lifting heavy objects, to laughing too hard, to even sneezing.

The second most common type is urge incontinence. Unlike stress incontinence, there are no trigger stimuli like excessive pressure due to activity. Instead, there is a near constant feeling of needing to void your bladder and often you won’t be able to control it, resulting in wetting. Not only do you want to speak to your gynecologist because this condition can make it difficult to live your life, but it can also be a symptom of a more serious illness. While the fact you have urinary incontinence doesn’t necessarily mean it’s being caused by something more sinister, you should get illnesses ruled out as a cause. Some medical conditions that have urinary incontinence as a cause include neurological diseases like Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis, diabetes, or stroke.

Other types of incontinence are overflow incontinence where urine dribbles because you can’t empty your bladder completely. There may be a muscular issue present which makes it difficult for you to void completely when going to the bathroom. The other is functional incontinence where a physical or mental impairment stops you from making it to the bathroom on time to go. If you don’t have full function of a leg or suffer from arthritis, your incontinence may be secondary to your primary condition.

Treatment options

No matter what specific type or types of incontinence you suffer from, you want answers and relief. Making an appointment with your gynecologist to discuss your treatment options is the important first step you need to take to improve your life. The specific cause of your incontinence will dictate the exact treatment path that will be followed. However, generally speaking there are a variety of treatments that are typically tried when trying to improve bladder control.

The first approach is non-surgical and will rely on exercises like Kegels. A strengthening of your pelvic muscles might be all you need, or it could seriously reduce your symptoms. Noninvasive treatment is always preferable. However, for many women exercises alone may not be enough.
If you suffer from stress incontinence, your gynecologist may opt for vaginal mesh as a treatment. This is minimally invasive and is done in one day as outpatient surgery. This tension free vaginal tape adds extra support to the urethra so that it stays closed during sudden exertions like coughing or sneezing. A pubovaginal sling uses your own tissue to create cradle for the bladder neck and urethra. Your doctor may also opt for a laparoscopy that inserts stitches that anchor the neck of the bladder and urethra to a ligament under your pubic bone for fortified support.

Urge incontinence is treated a bit differently. Medication will often be the first course of treatment. Some women might respond so positively to medication that it’s all they need. If more treatment is needed, your doctor may go further by recommending a Botox injection in the bladder wall, non-surgical nerve stimulation that is performed in the office, or implanting a device similar to a pacemaker that will provide continuous stimulation. Treatment won’t look the same for everyone and you may go through multiple ones before finding relief.

Conclusion

If you’re concerned about your bladder control and have been suffering due to urinary incontinence, there’s no reason to keep going through it. Your gynecologist can walk you through the process of establishing a cause and providing you with the proper treatment. Contact us today to make an appointment. It’s time to get your life back.