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In the event of persistent discomfort, decisive action should be taken. You mustn’t underestimate urinary incontinence by embarrassing yourself. Medicine has found a solution to this disease, which is common in the population.
In a properly functioning human body, urine produced by the kidneys flows into the bladder. The urethra is constricted by the surrounding pelvic floor muscles. When the bladder is full, a signal goes to the brain to urinate. The appropriate signal sent by the brain to the pelvic muscles causes them to relax, and the bladder muscles contract, which leads to urination, i.e. voiding. Due to abnormalities at any of the stages, this mechanism is disturbed in various ways, including urinary incontinence.
Who is at risk of urinary incontinence
It is often believed that urinary incontinence is one of the typical symptoms of aging, but while age is undoubtedly of great importance, it occurs at any age in both sexes. Most often, this problem occurs in elderly and elderly people, more often in women, even in 1 in 5 after 40 years of age.
- Do you have a problem with urinary incontinence? Consult a gynecologist
After 80 years of age this ailment affects up to half of the female population and a third of men. The problem of urinary incontinence in women may occur during pregnancy, after childbirth ended with both cesarean section and vaginal delivery. The risk factor is also menopause and previous gynecological surgeries. In men, this condition is usually associated with diseases of the prostate gland. An important factor contributing to the development of this ailment is incorrect body weight.
Types of urinary incontinence
The basic types of urinary incontinence are as follows:
– stress urinary incontinence
– urge incontinence
– overflow incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence it most often happens when you cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise. This is the result of weakening of the pelvic floor muscles that do not tighten the urethra properly, and urine flows out of the bladder as the pressure builds up in the bladder.
In turn, excessive activity of the bladder muscles causes urgency incontinence. You then need to urinate immediately and it usually flows out within seconds. The bladder contracted too soon, suddenly, before it received a signal from the brain. Often this problem is recognized as the so-called overactive bladder syndrome (also called overactive bladder). This ailment can be felt both during the day and at night, especially when changing body position or during sexual intercourse. It can also be a reaction to sounds, e.g. pouring water.
Urge urge incontinence can also be caused by:
– cystitis
– Parkinson’s disease
– diseases of the prostate gland in men
Urinary incontinence due to overflow the bladder is obstructing the outflow of urine. The bladder is then full, stretched, and urine leaks from it continuously or periodically, which is typical especially for men with prostatic hyperplasia.
Urinary incontinence can also occur in the person who controls the emptying of the bladder. It is usually periodic temporary incontinence and may be associated with:
-cystitis
-the use of water tablets (diuretics) or muscle relaxants
– consumption of alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, and sometimes even consumption of citrus fruit drinks
Urinary incontinence is always a signal of organism dysfunction and requires medical consultation. Your GP may refer you to a specialist, urologist or gynecologist.
- Do you have a problem with urinary incontinence? Consult a gynecologist
Diagnostics and treatment of urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is very embarrassing and makes everyday life difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to establish the cause of such a condition as soon as possible and undertake effective treatment. Treatment methods depend on the type of disease. The basis for the diagnosis, apart from the physical examination, are the results of urine and blood tests. In some situations, urodynamic diagnostics may be necessary, which allows to visualize the symptoms of the lower urinary tract and determine the optimal treatment. The examination may be supplemented with a pelvic ultrasound. Treatment of urinary incontinence depends on the type, severity and causes of the symptoms. Treatment of comorbidities as well as withdrawal of drugs and diuretic substances and weight loss are essential.
The Kegel muscles, i.e. the muscles of the pelvic floor, play an important role in stress urinary incontinence. Regularly performing these exercises may resolve the problem. They should be performed standing, sitting or lying down. They consist in a slow, more and more forceful tightening of the pelvic floor muscles, which should be relaxed after a while. This exercise should be repeated 4-5 times. Once again, you can tighten your muscles faster to get the feeling of trying to stop the urine flow and then relax them. The best results are achieved by exercising 6-10 times a day in different positions, alternating between slow and fast sets, and extending slow contractions to 10 seconds. The first results can be seen after just three months.
Sometimes, surgical treatment is used in stress urinary incontinence, which does not always bring the expected results. Due to the complex etiopathogenesis of the problem, surgical treatment should always be preceded by an attempt at conservative treatment.
If lifestyle changes and systematic bladder training prove ineffective, pharmacotherapy is used. The drugs work by increasing the urethral closure pressure by increasing the muscle tone of the urethra, bladder and pelvis. In the case of an overactive bladder, preparations that inhibit involuntary bladder contractions are used. Some drugs combine both mechanisms of action.
For overflow incontinence, treatment consists of removing the obstruction to drainage of urine from the bladder or by inserting a catheter into the bladder.
Through the use of optimal treatment, systematic exercise, you can achieve clinical improvement – alleviate the symptoms of urinary incontinence, and even completely resolve this unpleasant ailment. However, you cannot stop exercising to prevent the condition from coming back.