If you have trouble controlling your bladder, you may feel alone, but loss of bladder control is a common problem. Incontinence can leave you exhausted and robbed of a good night's sleep, make travel troublesome, or keep the benefits of physical activity out of reach. Despite these frustrations and limitations, only 1 out of 12 people with incontinence seek help, often because they are embarrassed, or because they don't realize that help is available.
Incontinence is Treatable
The successful treatment of incontinence begins with an accurate diagnosis. Treatment options include pelvic muscle exercises, medication and surgery.
Types of Incontinence
You may have stress incontinence, urge incontinence, or overflow incontinence. Or you may have a combination of types. Each type of incontinence has its own signs and symptoms.
People with Stress Incontinence may...
- Leak when they cough, laugh or sneeze.
- Go to the bathroom more frequently in order to avoid accidents.
- Avoid exercise because they are afraid this will cause leaks.
- Sleep through the night, but leak upon getting up from bed in the morning.
- Sometimes be incontinent when they get up from a chair.
People with Urge Incontinence may...
- Wet themselves if they don't get to the bathroom immediately.
- Get up frequently during the night to urinate.
- Go to the bathroom at least every two hours.
- Feel they have a weak bladder and that each drink of coffee, tea, cola or alcohol seems to cause urination out of proportion to the amount they actually drink.
- Wet the bed at night.
People with Overflow Incontinence may...
- Get up frequently during the night to urinate.
- Take a long time to urinate and have a weak, dribbling stream with no force.
- Urinate small amount and not feel completely empty afterwards.
- Dribble urine throughout the day.
- Feel the urge to urinate, but sometimes can't.
The Medical Evaluation
Every person's condition is different, so it is essential to receive an accurate diagnosis for successful treatment. The medical history is the most important part in obtaining an accurate diagnosis, since a physical exam may not always reveal the cause of incontinence. Your provider may suggest urine tests or other types of tests to detect infection or other underlying causes.
Please visit these websites for more information:
Urinary Incontinence (Health and Age)
Center for Bladder Control