life. health. wellness.
Talk to Your Doctor About Urinary Incontinence
Julien Her, RN, BSN, quality care coordinator
U
rinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control that can cause unintentional urine leakage. This can affect people of all ages and genders; however, it is more common in older adults and women.
What are the different types of urinary incontinence? • Stress – Can be caused by pressure on the bladder due to activities such as lifting heavy objects, exercising, laughing and sneezing • Urge – The sudden need to urinate with possible frequent urine leakage • Mixed – A combination of stress and urge incontinence • Overflow – Urine leakage or dribbling when the bladder does not fully empty • Functional – Loss of control, which can be due to physical or mental impairment
What causes urinary incontinence? The health of your bladder can be impacted for a variety of reasons. Urinary incontinence can occur due to any of these risk factors. • Infections, such as urinary tract infection or vaginal infection • Medication • Enlarged or inflamed prostate • Being overweight • Age
• • • •
Constipation Weak or overactive bladder muscles Caffeine intake Smoking
What type of treatment is available? Different treatment options are available, depending on the cause of urinary incontinence. Some of the treatments include pelvic floor muscle exercises, medications, medical devices and surgery. If you are experiencing incontinence, your doctor may run some tests or refer you to a specialist.
How can I keep my bladder healthy? Use the tips below to maintain or improve your bladder health. Maintain a healthy weight Talk with your doctor • Extra weight can increase pressure and weaken the • Don’t be embarrassed to discuss the loss of muscles around the bladder. bladder control with your personal doctor. If Exercise you are experiencing any urinary incontinence or • You can do Kegel exercises to help strengthen the difficulty urinating, your doctor can give you bladder muscles. treatment options to help you manage or cure it. Urinate when you feel the urge and fully empty bladder Avoid constipation • Don’t hold your urine because that can weaken the • Eat high fiber foods and consume enough water muscles around the bladder. or fluids.
30 | C oncierge
networkhealth.com
