Advice from Medical Experts

urinary incontinence

This is rarely a serious problem, but for women it causes a lot of trouble.
“Many women will never admit that they are incontinent, even their doctors – said Catherine L. Bergey, Ph.D., Associate Professor, leading research on the medical faculty of the University of Pittsburgh. – They are ashamed. They think it is indecent and prefer to hide the problem , instead of solving it. ”

In fact, there are many reasons why medical properties, which in adults may be involuntary leakage of urine, bladder disorder, called “urinary incontinence“.

This disorder is much more common than you might think. They affect millions of adults. And women – mainly because of the structural features of the urinary tract and loads during pregnancy – it occurs five times more often than men.

Why be ashamed? ”Because in pants pee young children, they can not be different. But sometimes, adults can not control urination” – said Dr. Bergey, who works on this problem within the university program and treats people suffering from incontinence.

There are two main types of incontinence. The most common stress urinary incontinence, that is, involuntary separation of coughing, during bouts of laughter, during physical activities and lifting heavy objects. Survey of 326 patients suffering from gynecological diseases conducted by the University of Michigan, found that 47 percent of women complained of stress urinary incontinence. The second type – an uncontrollable need to urinate, ending with “accident”. From 40 to 70 percent of women who have been stress urinary incontinence, as statistics show, and suffer another kind of incontinence.

“Incontinence can be caused by a variety of reasons – explains Kristen E. Whittemora, MD, clinician, associate professor of urology at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Center dealing with problems of incontinence, as well as the head of the Department of Urology at a hospital in Philadelphia. – But it is important to understand that incontinence is not a disease. It is a symptom, indicating the existence of a problem that affects the bladder. Be sure to consult a doctor. “ Ignoring the beginning of incontinence can lead to what is easily removable disorder becomes a serious problem.

Incontinence often occurs in parous women. During the childbearing bladder muscles weaken, and sometimes even in the displacement of the bladder. Lack of estrogen after menopause can lead to irritation of the urethra, the urethra.Incontinence is also triggered by urinary tract infections and kidney failure and drug substances. Even emotional stress sometimes leads to incontinence.

“Incontinence is not a disease of old age, – emphasizes Dr. Bergey – although it is more common in older people, studies have shown that regular incontinence of various degrees was found in 31 percent of women premenopausal age – in their forties and even younger. Burgi says Dr. that she had a patient who suffered from incontinence of 13 years, but the first time turned to the doctor in 83 years. “This is a most extraordinary case in my practice,” – she said.

Silent majority

Incontinence often begins with the selection of a few drops of urine that occurs from time to time. Many do not care. But the disorder has a tendency to gradually improve. ”Women often tell me that they had incontinence has been going on 12, 20 or more years, but only in the last three months it has become a serious problem, – said Dr. Bergey, which is co-author of” How to cope with incontinence: A Practical Guide to Bladder Control. “- Of course, all women are different problems. Some can not tolerate even a slightest degree of incontinence. Others do not attach importance to incontinence in much larger quantities.”

However, even if women are very concerned about this fact, they rarely seek help from doctors. Dr. Bergey has conducted a study which showed that only 25 percent of women reported their doctors that they are incontinent. Other studies give an even smaller number. Thus, one of the experts reported that 11 out of 12 women do not even mention this fact when referring to their doctors.

And this leads to the fact that to live with this disorder is becoming increasingly difficult.

Embarrassing moments

“With the incontinence associated with multiple sad stories – says Dr. Bergey. – I had heard of in connection with work on the program cures incontinence. It is no exaggeration to say that incontinence often has disastrous consequences. Medical journals report that it exacerbates the depression, social isolation, anxiety and leads to low self-esteem. One woman, for example, told me that she did not go to the wedding of her granddaughter, because it feared that the incident may occur, which will all unpleasant. Another admitted that she because of this ceased sexual intercourse. ”

Dr. Bergey remembers a woman who, while working realtor, had to spend days driving around in a car, showing the house. ”Her work and her life had been continuously linked with thoughts of where to find the toilet and how long it can withstand before it will need to visit it. Sometimes the trouble occurred in the presence of the client. It was terrible. In the end she had to quit my job” .

While hiding the problem is largely due to embarrassment, Dr Bergey believes that there is another reason – many women think that incontinence is not treated. In fact, incontinence is treatable, and now more than ever before.

Self-help

Sometimes a weak muscular apparatus of the bladder can be strengthened by exercise. That’s what we recommend to do.
Keep a diary. During the week, write down what you ate, drank that, when we went to the bathroom and how many times someone has occurred incontinence. These data will help you and your doctor to find out the causes of incontinence.
Do not drink too much. Some women Bladder “on their records show that they have a lot of drinking water, generally in accordance with a program of weight loss. The use of smaller amounts of fluid can ease the condition. But we can not limit yourself to drink. Too little fluid can lead to serious consequences.
Try going to the toilet at regular intervals. Start with intervals, for example, in one hour. After a few weeks, increase the interval, gradually bringing it up to 2.5-3 hours.
The study showed that in this way can not get rid of urinary 12 percent women and 75 percent showed significant improvement – 50 percent or more.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine-containing beverages and drugs. Both are diuretics and may increase incontinence.
Eat more fiber foods. Fiber helps against constipation, which may increase incontinence.
Do not smoke. Nicotine irritates the bladder surface, and cough associated with smoking, leading to stress incontinence.
Get rid of extra pounds. Being overweight creates additional stress on your bladder and aggravate incontinence.
Try double urination. This will help you to empty the bladder completely. Stay on the seat until you feel that your bladder is emptying, then bend and then to the place where the bladder. Stand up, sit back and try to empty the bladder again.
Follow nature. Empty your bladder regularly, do not let it overflow, which leads to its extension. Furthermore, if the bladder is full, and muscle, locking it, weak, cough or sneeze incontinence can occur.
Do Kegel exercises. This exercise is usually recommended during the postpartum period to strengthen the muscles of the bladder and urethra, but it also helps with incontinence. Even if you do not have incontinence, it can prevent the problem.Here’s how to do exercises. First of all you need to find a muscle that you exercise.Go to the toilet and start to empty the bladder. When urine flow, try to stop it. If you can at least marginally slow the outflow of urine, it means that you are using the right muscles. If you can not feel the right muscles, experts recommend to start inhibit efflux of urine by hand. Hold the arm, then let it relax. Everything you need to do – is to clamp the muscle to hold it in this state and to the “three” to let go, and then repeat all over again. To achieve the desired results, you will need to do at least 100-200 of exercise a day.

CASES with a happy ending

Dr. Whittemora finds that 50 percent of cases of incontinence are cured completely in 30 per cent achieved a significant improvement, and the rest later experienced less discomfort is necessary to establish the cause of incontinence and choose the appropriate treatment. Often the underlying causes cures incontinence.

Most can benefit measures described in this chapter under the heading “Methods of self-help for those who have a weak bladder.” ”They stand to try to take advantage of them” – believes Dr. Bergey. Assists with training, biofeedback, when using electrical sensors detect changes in body temperature, muscle tension. In more serious cases, offer medicines and even a small surgery. Surgery is successful in 90 percent of cases.

“Doctors usually start with the most conservative methods, – said Dr. Whittemora – and if they do not help, move on to more radical. The most important thing – is that your doctor has correctly assessed the problem and discuss with you what treatment is right for you.”

comments closed.