Urinary Incontinence,An Embarrassing but Treatable Health Issue

Many American men and women suffer from some form of urinary incontinence, whether it is a small leak or substantial gush. It has been reported that about 25 % of women over the age of 50 tolerate stress-related urinary incontinence or SUI. A Federal Agency for Health Care Policy & Research reports that more than 13 million Americans suffer from this bladder control health issue. The protective undergarment industry, who sell Poise and Depends, earn an annual $18 million on their products as sufferers forego diagnosis and treatment. Fortunately, there are home-care remedies and prescriptions for this uncomfortable health issue.

Certain factors increase your likelihood of becoming a sufferer of urinary incontinence. Women, who have had children, had frequent urinary tract infections, are overweight or over the age of 50, and in the menopausal stage of life are more prone to SUI.

There are five different types of urinary incontinence. Your doctor will diagnose your type and devise a treatment plan with prescriptions and exercises, medication, and possibly surgery.

If you feel that you can hold your bladder but sometimes have trouble getting to the bathroom in time, you may suffer from functional incontinence. Some women feel that their bladder is never empty but overflow incontinence is also common in men. There may be a blockage in the ureters which block urine flow from the bladder or the bladder muscle may just be weak and not able to squeeze out the urine. Mixed incontinence is either a stress or urge reaction. To be diagnosed with mixed incontinence, you must have one stress symptom and one urge symptom. Women are the most common sufferers of stress urinary incontinence, or SUI.

This form is common after childbirth or in menopause. Leakage occurs when you stand up from a sitting position, sneeze or cough. Your doctor may want to screen you for pelvic organ prolapse also if he suspects SUI. Urge incontinence happens when you feel like you always have to run to the bathroom. This form of incontinence equally affects men and women. An overactive bladder causes urge incontinence. If you make frequent bathroom trips, are unable to hold it, or have bedwetting accidents, you may suffer from urge incontinence. Infection or growth in the urethra or bladder may cause this form of incontinence. Pelvic organ prolapse may also be suspect.

There are numerous treatment methods, prescriptions and, as a last resort, surgeries for this embarrassing medical situation. Kegel exercises may be recommended for urge and stress incontinence sufferers to help retrain the bladder. Biofeedback may also help you become more aware of what is happening with your bladder. If exercises and feedback don't help, you may be a candidate for medication or surgery. There are some devices on the market to aid in treating incontinence as well. Pessarys are meant to support the uterus and bladder and in turn aid in bladder control. Hormone replacement therapy may also work for you. Medications prescribed include time-release and skin patch mixtures as well as antidepressants, which let the bladder, relax.

Surgical procedures, such as TVT, are short and sweet and patients are able to return home the next day with little pain and short recovery time. Consult your physician for your personal diagnosis and treatment plan.