A sneeze, a cough, a little lively dance or laugh, and you have a leak of urine in your undergarments? This may be urinary incontinence. It is the involuntary loss of urine through the urethra, without pelvic muscle control to “hold” the pee.
Urinary incontinence in women usually manifests itself after a normal everyday life action, e.g., prolonged laughter, coughing, prolonged physical exertion, changing the position of the body during sleep, lifting heavy objects, sexual intercourse, etc.
Despite affecting the older population, urinary incontinence affects men and women of all ages, being twice as common in women. Almost one-fifth of all woman in the world have faced this problem. At the same time, not all of them seek treatment.
DEGREE OF URINARY INCONTINENCE
There are several degrees and types of female urinary incontinence that can be mild to severe:
- Stress urinary incontinence is the loss of urine when you cough, laugh, exercise, and move around. It can occur anywhere, depending on the complexity of the surrounding situation, i.e., psychological and emotional components. It is considered among the most common problems in urology;
- Urgent urinary incontinence is characterized by the sudden urge to urinate that occurs in the midst of daily activities, and the person loses urine before reaching the bathroom. E.g., Urinary incontinence in women when coughing. There is a sharp jump in pressure inside the abdominal cavity, the tension of the bladder muscles increases. If the sphincters are weak, urine will leak. The same situation is observed with urinary incontinence when sneezing in women.
- Urinary incontinence in women after childbirth. Occurs due to a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles;
- Urinary incontinence in elderly women. It is divided into three types: stressed (due to pressure on the abdominal cavity), forced (with any sudden urge), total (uncontrollable, occurs constantly).
Regardless of the classification and the volume of evacuated urine, it has a very large impact on the lives of women, who often choose to exclude themselves from social activities so as not to experience embarrassment and fear of people perceiving the situation or scent.
Spontaneous loss of urine does not harm a woman’s life in any way. At the same time, it brings serious physical and moral inconvenience, as well as affects various aspects of normal life activity. Most women don’t tell others about this problem, and even their physicians.
CAUSES OF URINARY INCONTINENCE
A disease such as urinary incontinence in women can have different causes. The main ones are:
- Pregnancy, difficult childbirth;
- urinary tract infection
- Aggressive physical activity;
- Operations;
- Genetic predisposition.
SYMPTOMS OF URINARY INCONTINENCE IN WOMEN
The main symptom of urinary incontinence in women is the spontaneous flow of urine while performing various daily activities, physical activity, and other situations. Also, the symptoms of the disease include sudden urges, a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder, a feeling of a foreign object in the vagina.
PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF URINARY INCONTINENCE
The first step in diagnosing urinary incontinence in women is to consult a specialist. The doctor prescribes a complete examination that helps identify the causes of the disease. The most acceptable method of treatment is then selected.
For a successful operation, specific, clear indications are required. Without them, an intervention cannot be carried out; it can only exacerbate the problem.
The treatment of urinary incontinence in women is carried out with the help of minimally invasive surgery using the most modern instruments and equipment.
A special synthetic implant is placed under the middle of the urethra – a mesh, which reliably supports the organ, adjacent tissues, and prevents urine leakage. The mesh is designed to prevent the occurrence of inflammation. The implant is inserted through a small 1 cm incision in the vagina along with incisions with a length of 2-3 mm made on the inner thighs. The operation takes 20 to 30 minutes.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
The good news is that not all types of urinary incontinence are permanent or require surgery. In some cases, it is possible to control the escape with the help of medication, a balanced diet, and special physical exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor. Pelvic floor strengthening exercise and consists of muscle contraction and relaxation.
There are also behavioral techniques in which you can train your bladder to control and slow down urination, emptying your bladder completely, urinating, waiting a few minutes and trying again or scheduling yourself to go to the bathroom every two hours, regardless of the urge to urinate.
Pelvic floor therapy for urinary incontinence is a highly intimate therapy program. If you or a loved one is suffering from urinary incontinence, Countryside Home Health Care has specialized therapists for geriatric patients that can help rehabilitate the pelvic floor and minimize, or even eliminate, the symptoms associated with urinary incontinence.
References
Yoshitaka Aoki,1 Heidi W. Brown, et al., Urinary incontinence in women, 2017.
Retrieved from; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5878864/
Melville, J. Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nazia Q Bandukwala, DO, Urinary Incontinence in Women, 2017.
Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/ss/slideshow-incontinence-in-women#
Elaine K. Luo, MD, Mary Ellen Ellis on August 24, 2020. Why Am I Experiencing Urinary Incontinence?
Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/urinary-incontinence
