Comprehensive Insight on Female Urinary Involuntary Leakage
Dealing with Incontinence? You've Got Options!
Incontinence, we all know it happens, but sometimes it can be tough to handle - especially for women as they age. You might feel shy discussing it with your doctor, or you think it's just something you have to live with. But it doesn't have to be!
With so much going on in our lives, taking care of ourselves can slip through the cracks. However, incontinence is not an issue you have to endure.
Sneezing or Coughing Accidents
"There are two main reasons why women might experience leakage, and both have simple treatment options that can make a big difference," says Dr. Suzette E. Sutherland, UW Medicine's director of female urology. These issues are known as stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urgency urinary incontinence (UUI).
SUI occurs when the pelvic floor—the ligaments and muscles that support the bladder and urethra—is put under stress. This stress can come from activities like running, jumping, or lifting, as well as from a strong cough or sneeze. Common factors that contribute to SUI include childbirth, pregnancy, chronic constipation, and high-impact activities.
Treatment for SUI includes pelvic floor muscle exercises, also known as Kegels, and wearable, intra-vaginal devices called pessaries that provide support to the bladder and urethra. For cases where these methods aren't sufficient, minimally invasive procedures, including the midurethral sling, offer effective solutions. This simple 15-minute procedure, performed by a board-certified surgeon focused on female pelvic health, provides long-lasting relief and a quick recovery period.
Constant Urge to Go
UUI, on the other hand, is associated with an overactive bladder (OAB) and creates a strong, constant urge to urinate. Treatments for UUI focus on calming the bladder so that it can hold more urine and provide more warning time when the urge to go strikes.
First-line treatments include dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, and pelvic floor relaxation exercises to help the bladder relax. For cases not sufficiently improved by these methods, medications, Botox injections into the bladder, or an implantable "pacemaker" may be considered.
Both types of incontinence can occur simultaneously, and a collaborative approach to treatment is often necessary to achieve the best results.
Taking Control
As our bodies change over time, it's essential to seek support when needed. With the right care, you can once again live life with confidence and minimal disruption.
If incontinence is an issue for you, consider scheduling an appointment with a board-certified surgeon specializing in female pelvic health. With so many effective treatment options available, there's no reason to suffer in silence.
- "Email a national health-and-wellness magazine, expressing interest in features on the latest science behind therapies-and-treatments for women's mental-health, focusing particularly on how exercise can improve well-being and combat stress urinary incontinence (SUI)."
- "Delve into the realm of health-and-wellness literature to gather information about strategies for managing mental-health, including techniques for reducing anxiety and stress, which are common contributors to stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urgency urinary incontinence (UUI)."
- "Empower yourself by exploring resources dedicated to womens-health, such as books, online articles, and support groups, to learn about various treatment options for incontinence, including residential wellness retreats that focus on mental-health, exercise, and bladder-control therapies."
