Urinary Incontinence Solutions and Strategies for Bladder Control: Expert Tips and Treatments

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary, involuntary loss of urine. Urinary incontinence can be a temporary condition due to an underlying medical condition. It can range from discomfort caused by loss of urine to heavy and frequent urination.

According to the National Association for Continence, more than 25 million American adults suffer from temporary or chronic urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence can occur at any age, but is more common among women over 50.

Research has found that at least half of people with urinary incontinence do not discuss their conditions with their health care providers, when there is no need to be embarrassed. If you suffer from bladder leakage, rest assured that you are not alone with this health problem.

Bladder leakage, or urinary incontinence, affects women and men of all ages, and is more common later in life.

Causes and types

Dr. Edward says. Edward James Wright, MD, MD, director of urology at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center – Urinary incontinence (UI) is definitely a very important disease and worth discussing in the complex interaction between the brain, the system nerves and pelvic organs. There are many causes of urinary incontinence, many of which can be treated with surgical and non-surgical treatments.

• What causes urinary incontinence? Urinary incontinence is not an inevitable consequence of aging, but it is especially common in the elderly. It is often caused by specific changes in body functions that may result from infections, medication use and/or disease onset.

• Sometimes this is the first and only symptom of a urinary tract infection. Women are more likely to develop urinary incontinence during pregnancy and after childbirth, or after hormonal changes associated with menopause.

• What type is it? What are the differences between them?

Urge incontinence: The inability to hold urine long enough to get to the bathroom. It can be associated with needing to urinate frequently and feeling a strong, sudden urge to urinate. It can be an isolated condition, but it can also be a sign of other diseases or conditions that also require medical attention.

Stress Incontinence: Leaking urine during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting heavy objects or making other body movements that put pressure on the bladder.

Functional incontinence: Leakage of urine due to difficulty getting to the bathroom in time due to a physical condition, such as arthritis, injury or other disabilities.

Overflow Incontinence: Leakage occurs when the amount of urine produced exceeds the capacity of the bladder to hold.

Symptoms and diagnosis

• Common symptoms include:

The need to run to the bathroom and / or loss of urine if it does not arrive in time.

Leakage of urine with movements or exercise.

Leakage of urine with coughing, sneezing, or laughing.

Constantly feeling wet without feeling that urine is leaking.

Feels like not emptying the bladder completely.

Leakage of urine that started or continues after surgery.

• How is urinary incontinence diagnosed? For people with urinary incontinence, it is important for them to consult a health care provider. In many cases, patients are then referred to a doctor who specializes in urology. Urinary incontinence is diagnosed through a complete physical examination that focuses on the urinary and nervous systems, reproductive organs, and urine samples. According to the Johns Hopkins team.

Measures to avoid urinary incontinence

Regarding strategies for regaining control of bladder leakage, Dr. Edward James Wright of the Johns Hopkins Bladder Leakage Center offers good news and new hope, saying: “Most cases can be treated or to improve significantly, regardless of the cause of bladder leakage. .” Wright continues: “There are many solutions available, but the patient can only get help with what he wants to talk about and explain.”

Here are some strategies that can help:

– First: Review the diet.

– Second: Getting rid of excess weight.

– Third: Certain exercises can help to better control the flow, such as using Kegel exercises, in which special muscles in the penis are regularly tightened to strengthen them , which helps them to be more resistant to leaks. And “Mawhiba” exercises, in which “Kegel exercises” are used while coughing, sneezing, or performing any other activity that causes leakage. The latter requires an expert, doctor or physical therapist, to explain how to do it correctly.

– Fourth: Identifying the treatment options, in which the choice is made according to the type of urinary incontinence, according to the opinion of Dr. I saw, and it is as follows:

. Medicines, which help the bladder maintain more volume, reduce bladder pressure, and improve the ability to empty the bladder. There is an over-the-counter range recently approved for women with an overactive bladder that helps them relax the bladder muscles; It is available to men on prescription.

. Botox injections into the bladder lining to block chemicals that trigger muscle contractions.

. Injection of thick material around the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body) to help hold urine.

. Surgery to insert mesh tape to seal the urethra and prevent leakage.

Treatment of urinary incontinence

To control urinary incontinence, many women wear protective diapers to protect their clothes from urine leakage. On the other hand, specially designed flexible underwear, which resembles the appearance of regular underwear, can be easily worn under everyday clothes.

According to the Mayo Clinic team, the appropriate treatment for urinary incontinence is usually determined by the treating physician based on the following symptoms:

Age, general health, and medical history.

Type of urinary incontinence and degree of its effect.

The patient’s tolerance for medications or therapeutic procedures.

Prognosis for the course of the disease.

Patient perception and preferences for treatment methods.

Treatment may include the following:

First: Behavioral treatment, including:

Bladder training: Teaching a person how to resist the urge to void and gradually lengthen the intervals between voids.

Toilet assistance: Regular, scheduled, and urging urination to empty the bladder regularly to prevent leakage.

Dietary modifications: Eliminate bladder irritants, such as caffeine, alcohol, and citrus fruits.

Second: Rehabilitation of the pelvic muscles (to improve the strength of the pelvic muscles and prevent leakage) using specific exercises, including:

Kegel exercises: to improve urinary incontinence, and even prevent it.

Biofeedback: It is used with Kegel exercises to gain awareness and control of the pelvic muscles, according to the Mayo Clinic team.

Vaginal pressure training: Small pressures are held inside the vagina by tightening the muscles of the vagina.

Pelvic floor electrical stimulation: Mild electrical pulses stimulate muscle contractions.

Third: Drug treatment

Anticholinergic drugs.

Vaginal estrogen.

Pessary (a small rubber device worn inside the vagina to prevent leakage).

Botox injection into the bladder.

Urethral bulking agents.

Peripheral nerve stimulation.

Fourth: Surgical treatment

Slings: They can be made of synthetic mesh or special fabric.

Bladder obstruction process.

Peripheral nerve stimulation process.

Surgery for stress incontinence in women can provide a long-term solution, especially when other treatments have not worked.

Surgical treatment is aimed at supporting the urethra and bladder neck. This extra support helps to keep the urethra closed when you apply pressure, so that urine does not leak out.

Although surgery carries a greater risk of complications than other treatments, it may provide a long-term solution. Finding the best option for sutureless surgery depends on the benefits and risks associated with each procedure, as well as your specific health and treatment needs.

Potential problems and risks

As with any surgical procedure, the risks of urinary incontinence surgery, although uncommon, include:

Temporary difficulty with urination.

Temporary difficulty emptying the bladder (urinary retention).

Development of an overactive bladder.

Urinary tract infection.

Wound infection.

Difficult or painful sex.

Extraction of surgical material into the cavity.

Pain in the ceiling.

Finally, we recommend talking to your surgeon about the possible risks and benefits of the surgical option.

Proactive suggestions

Before deciding on surgery and determining the type, the patient should consider the following recommendations:

Get an accurate diagnosis. A genitourinary doctor (or urologist) performs further diagnostic tests.

Understand that surgery only corrects the problem it is designed to treat. For example, surgery for stress incontinence does not treat sudden urge to urinate (overactive bladder), and mixed incontinence – a combination of stress incontinence and overactive bladder. – additional treatments are likely to be needed.

Thinking about plans to have children in the future. Your doctor may recommend waiting until you are ready to have children. The stress of pregnancy and childbirth on the bladder, urethra and supporting tissues can negate the benefits of surgical treatment.

Finally, we advise everyone who suffers from urinary incontinence: “Don’t let urinary incontinence prevent you from enjoying life.

• Community therapy consultant