What is Urge Incontinence?
Urge incontinence, commonly known as an overactive bladder is a urinary condition caused by a malfunctioning bladder. This condition can make you want to rush to the toilet more than 8-10 times in a day, which is fairly above the normal amount.
Urge Incontinence Diagnosis - How to Diagnose Urge Incontinence?
Your doctor would start with a thorough history of your symptoms and also a physical examination. You may then be asked to do simple things that might demonstrate urine leakage, such as coughing, laughing or jumping.
Your doctor might recommend:
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Urinalysis - Your doctor takes a sample of your urine. This urine is checked for signs of infection, traces of blood or other abnormalities.
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Bladder diary – You might be asked to keep a diary to record how your bladder typically behaves. You might be asked to put down how much liquid you drink, when you urinate, the amount of urine your body produces, how many times you had to pee, whether or not you experienced incontinence, how your bladder reacts to the food you consume, etc.
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Post void residual measurement - You're asked to empty your bladder or urinate into a container. This container measures your urine output. The amount of urine left in your bladder is checked using a catheter or an ultrasound test.
Other tests that you might be recommended to take are urodynamic testing and pelvic ultrasound. These tests are usually performed if your condition has escalated quite a bit and you are considering surgical options.
What are Best Urge Incontinence Treatments?
Your treatment depends on why you’re suffering from urge incontinence. The very first thing that you should do is book an appointment with a doctor. Going to a general physician is a good start. They can guide you to doctors who are experts in this field.
For more information about your treatment route, visit a doctor.
Urge Incontinence Treatments for Female
Urge incontinence treatment females need can be found with a urologist or a urogynecologist, a doctor who has special training in the female urinary system.
If you are someone who has undergone menopause, vaginal estrogen therapy might help. It can help strengthen the muscles and tissues in the urethra and vaginal area.
You can get vaginal estrogen comes in the form of cream, suppository, tablet, or ring, these might significantly improve symptoms of an overactive bladder for women.
You can do the following things to help treat urge incontinence effectively along with medical support:
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Bladder training – You can train your bladder to hold in pee for longer durations of time, by intentionally holding off going to the bathroom. Make sure you are practicing bladder training in a place which can be easily cleaned up later if accidents do happen. This way keep increasing the time slowly and decrease the frequency of urination.
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Kegel exercises – Your pelvic floor muscles support the organs of your urinary tract. Take out some time and perform Kegel exercises daily to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
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Eat fibrous foods – Sometimes, your incontinence is caused due to constipation. The muscles of the urinary tract are affected by the pressure that a person has to put while passing stools. Start having foods with a lot of fiber content to help with constipation. If you have any health condition, see a doctor to have specific food recommendations.
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Inflammation – Avoid foods that irritate and inflame your bladder. Steer clear of spicy foods, carbonated drinks, caffeine, junk food, etc. Since, you are already journaling, you will also have a track of foods that have a bad history with your bladder.
Some treatment for urgency to urinate relax and calm down the bladder. These drugs include:
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Tolterodine (Detrol)
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Oxybutynin, which can be taken as a pill (Ditropan XL) or used as a skin patch (Oxytrol) or gel (Gelnique)
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Trospium
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Solifenacin (Vesicare)
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Fesoterodine (Toviaz)
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Mirabegron (Myrbetriq)
A word of caution: None of these medicines are to be taken on your own. Visit a doctor, discuss your symptoms, your health condition, possible dosage and other specifications.
If making these lifestyle choices and taking medications is not working for you, you can discuss surgical routes with your doctor.
Managing incontinence on your own is difficult and isolating. We could all use some support. We at Friends provide you with everything you need to manage incontinence.
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We have a wide range of incontinence products for every person’s needs, including tape style diapers, pant style diapers, overnight diapers, adult insert pads, bed bath towels and underpads.
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All our products are 100% sulphur, chlorine and harmful chemical fragrance-free.
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Our products are treated with an anti-bacterial layer which keeps rashes, irritation and infections away.
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We provide our customers with subscription services, so they are ready to enjoy every moment without the fear of urine leakage.
With Friends, Azadi Mubarak!
