09:30 pm
Thursday, December 22, 2022
I wrote – Asmaa Morsi
Many suffer from the inability to control urine when laughing, sneezing, or severe coughing, trying to control themselves, but to no avail.
We mention to you the causes of this condition, symptoms, risk factors, health complications, and treatment methods, according to what was stated on the “healthline” and “mayoclinic” websites.
Urinary incontinence is involuntary urination that occurs when a physical movement or activity, such as coughing, laughing, sneezing, running or lifting heavy objects, puts pressure (strain) on the bladder, causing urine to leak.
It’s different from urge incontinence and overactive bladder (OAB), in which your bladder muscles contract, causing a sudden urge to urinate before you can get to the bathroom.
Stress incontinence is more common in women than in men.
Symptoms:
Urine may leak from you in the following cases:
coughing or sneezing
laughter.
bowing.
Lifting a heavy object.
Doing exercise.
having sex.
– the reasons:
It occurs when the muscles and other tissues that support the urethra (pelvic floor muscles) and the muscles that control urine output (urinary sphincter) weaken.
The bladder expands when it fills with urine, and usually the valve-like muscles of the urethra (the short tube) that carry urine out of the body remain contracted as the bladder expands to prevent leakage of urine before reaching the bathroom.
But when these muscles weaken, anything that puts pressure on the abdominal and pelvic muscles, such as sneezing, bending, lifting, or laughing forcefully, can put pressure on the bladder and cause urine leakage.
Your pelvic floor muscles and urinary sphincter may lose strength due to: childbirth and prostate surgery.
Contributing factors:
Other factors that may aggravate stress incontinence include:
Diseases that cause chronic cough.
Obesity.
Smoking, which can cause frequent coughing.
High-intensity activities such as running and jumping over many years.
Risk factors:
1. Age:
Certain physical changes associated with aging, such as muscle weakness, may make you more susceptible to stress incontinence, however, it can occur at any age.
2. Type of birth:
Women who have had vaginal deliveries are at a higher risk of developing incontinence than women who have had a caesarean section.
3. Body Weight:
People who are overweight or obese are at increased risk of developing stress incontinence. Excess weight increases pressure on the abdominal and pelvic organs.
4. Previous pelvic surgery:
Hysterectomy in women and surgery for prostate cancer in men weaken the muscles that support the bladder and urethra, increasing the risk of stress incontinence.
complications
1. Trouble and distress:
If you suffer from stress incontinence during your daily activities, you may feel embarrassed and distressed by the condition, and this may get in the way of your work, social activities and relationships.
2. Mixed enuresis:
It is a common condition, and indicates that you suffer from both stress incontinence and urge incontinence, which is the unintentional loss of urine resulting from contractions of bladder muscles (overactive bladder) that cause an urgent need to urinate.
3. Rash or irritation:
The area of skin constantly in contact with urine may become irritated, sore, or prone to loosening, which can happen in cases of severe incontinence if you don’t take precautions, such as using moisture barriers or incontinence pads.
When do you need to consult a doctor?
You should consult a medical professional immediately if symptoms bother you or hinder you from carrying out daily activities, such as your work, hobbies and social life.
– Methods of Treatment:
1. Bladder training:
You should do exercises, such as pelvic floor exercises or bladder training, that can help increase bladder control.
2. Behavioral therapy:
Managing your fluid intake, adjusting your diet, or using the bathroom on schedule before you feel the urge to go all help manage incontinence, depending on the cause.
3. Case management:
If your incontinence is caused by another condition, such as constipation or a urinary tract infection, treating that condition may help treat incontinence as well.
4. Medicines:
Sometimes medications may help, depending on the cause of the incontinence, and antimuscarinic medications are used to treat overactive bladder.
5. Catheter placement:
If your incontinence is ongoing and significantly affects your life, your doctor may suggest internal or external catheters to help manage incontinence, or functional incontinence in some cases.
6. Weight loss:
Losing weight helps manage symptoms, because it can relieve pressure on your bladder.
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