The lack of control over one’s bladder, or urinary incontinence, is a common and frequently unpleasant condition. The intensity varies from the occasional leakage of pee following a cough or sneeze to sudden, intense urinal urges that prevent you from reaching a bathroom in time. KD Blossom’s expertise and training are at the level of the best gynecology hospital in Ahmedabad and they are adept at dealing with urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence is not an unavoidable result of aging, even though it happens more frequently as people age. Do not hesitate to consult your physician if your everyday activities are affected by urine incontinence. Most people’s urine incontinence symptoms can be managed with easy food and lifestyle adjustments or medical attention.
What Are The Symptoms?
A lot of people occasionally have little urine leaks. Some people could more regularly drop little to substantial amounts of pee.
Urinary incontinence comes in several forms. They are:
- Stress Incontinence: Pressure from coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising, or lifting something heavy might cause urine to flow from your bladder.
- Urge Incontinence: An unexpected strong urge to urinate is followed by an uncontrollably sudden loss of urine. You can have frequent urination needs, even throughout the night. A small ailment like an infection or a more serious one like diabetes or a neurological issue can both lead to urge incontinence.
- Overflow Incontinence: Urine drips frequently or continuously because your bladder doesn’t empty.
- Functional Incontinence: A disability, either mental or physical, prevents you from reaching the restroom in time. For instance, you could find it difficult to unbutton your pants quickly enough if you have severe arthritis.
- Mixed Incontinence: You have more than one kind of urine incontinence; this usually means that you have both stress and urge incontinence combined.
The Causes
Physical issues, underlying medical diseases, and routine habits can all contribute to urinary incontinence. Your doctor can assist in identifying the cause of your incontinence through a comprehensive examination.
Temporary Urinary Incontinence
As diuretics, several foods, beverages, and drugs may stimulate your bladder and cause you to produce more urine. Among them are:
- Alcohol
- Coffee
- Sparkling water and carbonated beverages
- Artificial sweeteners
- Chocolate
- Chili peppers
- Foods heavy in sugar, spice, or acid, particularly citrus fruits
- Drugs for the heart and blood pressure, sedatives, and muscle relaxants with high concentrations of vitamin C
Another medical problem that can be readily treated and lead to urinary incontinence is:
- Urinary Tract Infection: Urinary tract infections can irritate the bladder, which can lead to increased impulses to urinate and occasionally incontinence.
- Constipation: Many neurons that supply the bladder also supply the rectum. Urinary frequency increases due to the overactivity of these nerves brought on by hard, compacted stool in the rectum.
Persistent Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence may also be a chronic disorder brought on by underlying medical issues or modifications, such as:
- Pregnancy: Stress incontinence can result from hormonal changes as well as the growing weight of the fetus.
- Childbirth: A lowered (prolapsed) pelvic floor can result in vaginal delivery, which can also weaken the muscles required for bladder control and harm bladder nerves and supporting tissue. Prolapse can cause the bladder, uterus, rectum, or small intestine to push out into the vagina from its normal position. These protrusions may have something to do with incontinence.
- Changes With Age: The bladder’s ability to hold pee can be reduced by aging bladder muscle. Additionally, as you age, you experience more frequent involuntary bladder spasms.
- Menopause: Women produce less estrogen after menopause, a hormone that supports the health of the urethral and bladder linings. Incontinence may worsen if these tissues deteriorate.
Are There Any Risk Factors?
The following are some factors that raise your chance of getting urine incontinence:
- Gender: Stress incontinence is more common in women. This disparity can be explained by normal female anatomy, menopause, pregnancy, and childbirth. However, urge and overflow incontinence is more common in males with disorders related to the prostate gland.
- Age: The strength of the muscles in your urethra and bladder decreases with age. The amount of urine your bladder can hold decreases with age, and the likelihood of an unintentional void increases.
- Being Overweight: Too much weight strains the muscles around your bladder and bladder, weakening them and making it possible for pee to escape when you cough or sneeze.
- Family History: Your chances of acquiring urine incontinence are increased if you have close family members who have the disorder, particularly if they have urge incontinence.
Complications
The following are some consequences of persistent urine incontinence:
- Skin Problems: Continuously damp skin might develop rashes, infections, and blisters.
- Urinary Tract Infections: Urinary tract infections can recur more frequently if you are incontinent.
- Impacts On Personal Life: Urinary incontinence can impact your relationships at work, at home, and in society.
Prevention
Not all cases of urinary incontinence can be avoided. But to lower your risk:
- Sustain a healthy weight.
- Practice pelvic floor exercises.
- Refrain from acidic meals, alcohol, and caffeine as these can irritate your bladder.
- Consume more fiber to help avoid constipation, which is a contributing factor to incontinence in the urine.
- Avoid smoking, or if you already smoke, get assistance quitting.
To Conclude
Talking to your lady gynecologist (in case you want to be assigned to one) about incontinence may make you feel uneasy. Urinary incontinence, however, should be treated medically if it is regular or impairs your quality of life. This is because it can restrict your regular activities and social interactions. Moreover, it can indicate a more serious underlying medical condition.
