Urinary incontinence is more common than you might think. Between 20 to 30 percent of young women, 30 to 40 percent of middle-aged women and up to 50 percent of older women suffer from bladder control issues. These issues can range from a small leakage after coughing, sneezing or laughing to a large leakage brought on by a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate.
Many women believe urinary incontinence is an unavoidable consequence of childbirth, menopause and advancing age—but it’s not. Urinary incontinence is a medical condition that can be diagnosed and effectively treated in most cases.
Types of urinary incontinence
Struggling with bladder control issues can be life-changing, embarrassing and cause a lot of unnecessary stress and worry. The first step toward a more normal, less restricted life is to understand what type of urinary incontinence you’re experiencing. Here are the four types of urinary incontinence:
- Stress incontinence
Lifting, exercising, coughing, sneezing and laughing can all cause excess or sudden pressure on the bladder and cause urine to leak unexpectedly. - Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence is characterized by a sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by involuntary loss of urine. Women with urge incontinence often feel the need to urinate frequently, including throughout the night. - Overflow incontinence
Frequent, constant dribbling of urine is a symptom of overflow incontinence and occurs when the bladder is unable to completely empty. - Mixed incontinence
Any combination of stress, urge or overflow incontinence is considered mixed incontinence.
Effective ways to relieve urinary incontinence
For many women, making a few easy lifestyle changes can control incontinence issues, including:
- Reduce intake of caffeinated and fizzy drinks
- Limit alcohol to one drink per day
- Eat a high-fiber diet
- Don’t smoke
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Practice bladder training: double voiding and scheduled voiding
- Perform pelvic-floor exercises regularly (such as Kegel)
However, some women may need medical assistance to get the relief they need. The experienced gynecologists at Adriatica Women’s Health offer a complete range of treatments, including:
- Medical management (medications)
- Pessaries
- Sling procedures
- Bladder-neck suspension surgery
- Prolapse surgery/pelvic floor repair
The board-certified physicians at Adriatica Women’s Health are committed to providing expert care and urinary incontinence treatment in McKinney and Prosper, Texas. Call 972-542-8884 to learn how we can help you break free from worry associated with urinary incontinence.