Incontinence: Americas Embarrassing Little Secret

Incontinence effects over 12 million Americans, both male and female. That number is probably a very conservative one, due to the fact that most people are often too embarrassed to even acknowledge that they have a problem.

There is no need to sit idly by and endure this medical condition in silence as urinary incontinence can be completely controlled if not totally cured in most cases, but the first step is to admit that you do in fact suffer from this life altering malady.

The three most common forms of urinary incontinence are as follows:

Stress: urine loss during physical activity that increases abdominal pressure, such as coughing,sneezing and laughing

Urge: urine loss with urgent need to void and involuntary bladder contraction

Overflow: constant dribbling of urine, the bladder never completely empties

There are many factors that contribute to incontinence:

Bladder muscle weakness

Blocked urethra

Brain or spinal cord injuries

Nerve disorders

Birth defects

Pelvic floor muscle weakness

There are a number of things that may be done to help improve incontinence:

Limiting your intake of liquids (which could lead to dehydration)

Only urinate every 3 to 6 hours to retrain the bladder

Stop smoking as this can irritate the bladder

Practice Keg el exercises(Find the right muscles. While urinating stop the flow. These are the muscles to contract for this exercise.)Contract the pelvic floor muscles and hold for 3 seconds, then relax for 3 seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times, several times throughout the day. Work on increasing the 3 seconds of contracting the muscles to 10 seconds over time. This will strengthen the pelvic muscles and help to prevent urinary leakage.

There are also many protective devices to help with accidental urinary leakage:

Disposable adult diapers

Bed pads

Underwear liners such as pads, guards or shields

Male incontinence drip collectors

Full length absorbent under garments

Some treatment options that you can discuss with your doctor are:

Injectables

Nonsurgical treatments

Medications

Surgical treatments

If you are suffering from Urinary incontinence, remember that you are not alone. This condition is nothing to be embarrassed about, you must educate yourself about this disease. There are a number of organizations that can give useful information. The National Association for Continence and The American Urogynecologic Society are two excellent sources.

Sources: http://www.urologychannel.com

http://www.webmd.com

http://www.mayoclinic.com