Urinary Incontinence in Women

By Valley Women’s Health

Urinary incontinence is a very common problem in female patients, affecting up to 60 percent of the population at some time in their lives. Here at Valley Women’s Health, we have a full line of treatment options that can help to diagnose and correct this issue. Read on to learn more about urinary incontinence and what you can do to help fight it.

“Urinary incontinence” is the medical term for when a person leaks urine or loses bladder control. Often, it’s just referred to as “incontinence.” If you’re experiencing incontinence, take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. Approximately thirteen million Americans of all ages share this condition, and it can be caused by many factors.

There are three main types of incontinence, each with different symptoms.

• Stress incontinence.

People experiencing stress incontinence leak urine when they laugh, cough, sneeze, or do anything that “stresses” the belly. Stress incontinence is most common in women, especially those who have had a baby.

• Urgency incontinence.

People experiencing urgency incontinence feel a strong need to urinate all of a sudden. Often the urge is so strong that they can’t make it to the bathroom in time. “Overactive bladder” is another term for having a sudden, frequent urge to urinate. People with overactive bladder might or might not actually leak urine.

• Mixed incontinence.

People experiencing mixed incontinence have symptoms of both stress and urgency incontinence.

If you experience any of these problems, there are treatments that can help, along with changes you can make on your own. Incontinence isn’t an unsolvable problem, and no matter what, you don’t have to “just live with it.” The first step is bringing it up with your doctor or nurse, who can find out what may be causing the problem. Ask your doctor or nurse if any medications you take could be causing your symptoms, as certain medications can cause incontinence or make it worse.

After diagnosing your incontinence, it’s much easier to start building a path towards a solution. Treatment options differ depending on what type of incontinence you have and whether you are a man or a woman. Treatments can be as simple as taking medicines to help relax the bladder. Surgery may also be recommended to both repair the supporting bladder tissue or improve the flow of urine.

Many people with incontinence can regain their bladder control, or at least reduce the amount of leakage they have. The key is to be vocal about it to your doctor or nurse. If any of the information on this page is relevant to you, feel free to call and make an appointment with any of our board-certified physicians. Speak up, collaborate, and find a solution that works for you!

St. George OB/GYN Group

Craig D. Astle, M.D.

Tracy W. Winward, M.D.

Brady N. Benham, M.D.

Coby T. Brown, M.D.

Cameron B. Leavitt, D.O.

Cassandra R. Weidman, D.O.

Jeffrey G. Rogers, M.D.

Pamela J. Sorensen, R.N., P.A.-C

Brittany Duckett, M.S.N., F.N.P.-C

Phone: 435-628-1662

Address: 295 S. 1470 E. Suite 200, St. George, UT 84790

Website: www.valleywomenshealth.com