Talk to Your Doctor About Urinary Incontinence

Talk to Your Doctor About Urinary Incontinence Julien Her, RN, BSN, quality care coordinator

Urinary 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 • Constipation • Medication • Weak or overactive bladder muscles • Enlarged or inflamed prostate • Being overweight • Age • 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.

Talk with your doctor

• Don’t be embarrassed to discuss the loss of bladder control with your personal doctor. If you are experiencing any urinary incontinence or difficulty urinating, your doctor can give you treatment options to help you manage or cure it.

Avoid constipation

• Eat high fiber foods and consume enough water or fluids.

Maintain a healthy weight

• Extra weight can increase pressure and weaken the muscles around the bladder.

Exercise

• You can do Kegel exercises to help strengthen the bladder muscles.

Urinate when you feel the urge and fully empty bladder

• Don’t hold your urine because that can weaken the muscles around the bladder.