Incontinence

What is incontinence?

Incontinence of urine means losing control over your bladder. While this condition is common in older people, it can happen to anybody at any age. It can be prevented by following healthy habits and making a few lifestyle changes to keep your bladder healthy. However, in most cases, the condition cannot be prevented but can be easily managed with Kegel exercises and products like elderly diapers, underpads etc.

Types of Incontinence:

1. Stress incontinence – This is caused when a physical pressure is exerted on the bladder which leads to loss of urinary control.

2. Urge incontinence – Also known as overactive bladder, in this condition people frequently tend to get a sudden urge to urinate making it difficult to find a washroom in time.

3. Overflow incontinence – In this type of incontinence, a person is unable to identify their urge to urinate even when their bladder is full which further leads to a leak. This commonly affects men more than women.

4. Mixed incontinence – This one is a combination of urge and stress incontinence and more commonly affects women.

5. Bowel incontinence – Also known a fecal incontinence, this is an involuntary release of feces or wind from the rectum.

Causes of urine incontinence

The treatment of the condition is determined by the cause and severity of it. Here are a few causes associated with urine incontinence.

● Medications – Certain types of medications are known to increase the quantity of urine released, hamper the process of urinating, or damage the bladder muscles.

● Menopause – During menopause, women release less estrogen which eventually leads to incontinence.

● Childbirth – Incontinence is often caused in cases of vaginal delivery because there is a higher possibility of weakening of bladder muscles.

● Pregnancy – During pregnancy, extra pressure is put on the bladder muscles due to increased weight and this often leads to stress incontinence.

● Urinary Tract Infections – When diagnosed with UTIs, your bladder is more likely to be affected by it. This causes a sudden urge to urinate and often leads to incontinence.

● Prostate Issues – Certain prostate conditions often lead to overflow incontinence because it weakens the bladder muscles and a person is unable to empty the bladder completely.

● Neurological conditions – Conditions which affect a person's nervous system can often affect their urinary control which further results in incontinence.

● Obesity – People who are obese often suffer from incontinence because the weight adds pressure on the bladder.

● Surgery – Surgeries that focus on the lower abdominal part of the body can affect the bladder and may cause incontinence.