Urinary incontinence is a general term for a group of disorders that cause a lack of bladder control. The incontinence can be mild to severe in nature and effects both men and women. There are a variety of treatments available for incontinence, ranging from exercise therapy and medications to surgery. Knowing how to treat your urinary incontinence requires your physician to work with you to determine what type of treatment will work best.
Types of Urinary Incontinence
There are five primary types of urinary incontinence:
- Stress incontinence: Bladder leakage occurs when you cough, sneeze, or laugh. For some women, this is caused by pregnancy and childbirth.
- Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder is unable to empty completely, so urine continues to leak out.
- Urge incontinence occurs when you have the urge to urinate more frequently. It is common among women who have an infection or who have diabetes.
- Functional incontinence is due to a mental or physical disorder that impacts the ability to hold urine, like MS.
- Mixed incontinence is having more than one type of incontinence.
There are many different causes for urinary incontinence – some are temporary, such as consuming too much alcohol, and some are likely to be permanent, such as a neurological disorder.
Urinary incontinence is not the same as an overactive bladder. With an overactive bladder, you may urinate more frequently, but you have control over your bladder. A woman with urinary incontinence is unable to control the leak of urine.
Treatments for Urinary Incontinence
While some women can adjust their lifestyles with diet and exercise, including Kegels, to lose weight, strengthen the bladder muscles, and restore bladder control, many women may also need to train their bladders, schedule bathroom visits, and use pads. More aggressive treatments may be necessary for more complex cases of urinary continence. These treatments include electric stimulation, a pessary, or urethral insert. Sometimes, if the urinary incontinence is caused by or exacerbated by a prolapse, Â surgery may be required.
If you are experiencing symptoms of urinary incontinence or uterine prolapse, schedule an appointment with an Ob/Gyn specialist at Huey & Weprin Ob/Gyn. With specialized care and cutting-edge treatments in obstetrics and gynecology, Huey & Weprin Ob/Gyn offers a wide variety of gynecologic and obstetric services from leaders in Ob/Gyn research development. Call 937.771.5100 or fill out the form on this page to schedule an appointment.