Urinary Incontinence
URINARY INCONTINENCE
Make Appointment
URINARY INCONTINENCE
As many as one in six U.S. adults live with this distressing condition, causing some to curtail social and work activities or even isolate themselves at home. Urinary urgency or incontinenece is more common among women than men, occuring in 25% to 45% of women and 2% to 11% of men. The higher incidence in women is explained in part by the physical stress caused by pregnancy and childbirth, as well as urinary incontinence and many effective treatments.
Treatment options for Urinary Incontinence
Treatment options for Urinary Incontinence
Lifestyle changes:
The following lifestyle changes help many patients reduce the occurrence of urinary incontinence:
- Avoid caffeine and large amounts of liquid
- Empty Bladder regularly, especially prior to physical activity
- Avoid lifting heavy objects
- Strengthen pelvic muscles with Kegel exercises
Medication:
In addition your urologist may prescribe one or more oral medications. Depending on patient symptoms, there are medications formulated to do the following:
- Relax bladder muscles
- Lessen Bladder contractions
- Tighten bladder or urethral muscles
Types of Urinary Incontinence:
Stress Urinary Incontinence
Stress Urinary Incontinence
Bladder leakage, or SUI, occurs during exercise, coughing, sneezing, or laughing. It can affect women following childbirth or menopause and men as a side effect of prostate cancer treatment, such as radical prostatectomy.
Urge Incontinence (Overactive Bladder)
Urge Incontinence (Overactive Bladder)
Overactive Bladder, or urinary urgency, is characterized by the urgent need to urinate and being unable to get to the bathroom in time. This is typically caused by damage to the nerves that allow the bladder to communicate with the brain, resulting in a sudden bladder contraction that cannot be stopped.
Mixed Incontinence
Mixed Incontinence
Mixed incontinence may be the most common in this family of disorders and is marked by symptoms of both stress and urgency incontinence. A skilled and experienced urologist can assess a patient’s particular combination of symptoms and provide an effective combination of treatments tailored to address those symptoms.
Chronic Retention of Urine
Chronic Retention of Urine
Chronic retention of urine is characterized by a weak urine stream that stops and starts, straining to urinate, or a feeling that the bladder never empties completely. As the bladder remains full, the patient may experience incontinence, frequent urination, or waking in the night to urinate. This can be caused by an enlarged prostate in men or pelvic organ prolapse in women, as well as diabetes and spinal cord injuries.
A Conversation with Dr. Kella
Board Certified Urologist, Dr. Naveen Kella, discusses the benefits behind Emsella for urinary incontinence.
Learn more about Emsella, here.