Leaking urine can be embarrassing to discuss among friends or even your doctor, but it’s not uncommon. One in every three adult women experiences a leaky bladder at some point. Men can experience involuntary urine leakage as well, but the condition is more common among women.
Just because urine leakage is common doesn’t make it an inevitable part of aging. A urologist or a urogynecologist can help diagnose the cause of bladder leakage and recommend treatment. “Urinary incontinence is very common, but many patients are hesitant to bring it up. I encourage everyone with these issues to discuss it with their health care provider. It can have a terrible impact on quality of life, and there are many treatment options, most of which are simple and effective,” says Matthew Tompkins, M.D. a board-certified urogynecologist with Riverside Urogynecology Specialists, specializing in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.
What is urinary incontinence?
Accidental urine loss is known as urinary incontinence (UI). There are many causes and contributing factors, including overactivity of the bladder muscle and weakness of the pelvic floor.
Types of urinary incontinence
There are different types of UI. Stress and urge incontinence are the most common:
Stress incontinence: Leaking caused by bladder pressure, such as coughing, sneezing or heavy lifting
Urge incontinence: A sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by involuntary leakage
Overflow incontinence: Frequent dribbling from not fully emptying the bladder
Mixed incontinence: A combination of types
Urine leakage causes
Age, gender and childbirth are the most significant risk factors for urinary leakage. Other risk factors include genetics and chronic straining. Women are more prone to stress incontinence after pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. UI in men is usually related to prostate issues, such as benign prostate hyperplasia.
Other causes of UI include the following:
- Obesity adds pressure to the bladder
- Smoking can cause chronic coughing, straining the pelvic floor
- Chronic conditions like diabetes, stroke and neurological disorders can impair bladder function
Regaining bladder control
There are many UI treatment options, so speak to your doctor if leaking urine disrupts your daily life.
Medication treatment options targeting different aspects of bladder function vary depending on the type of UI. Some medications help relax the bladder muscles to reduce the sudden urge to urinate, while others strengthen the area to improve control.
Your doctor may discuss removable medical devices made for men and women or surgical options.
“There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a patient go from not leaving her home for fear of wetting her clothes or smelling like urine to going out with friends without those concerns the very next day after a minor outpatient procedure, such as bladder botox or a sling,” says Dr. Tompkins.
Improve bladder health to help prevent urinary incontinence
A healthy lifestyle and basic hygiene can improve your bladder health and help prevent leakage.
Drink water and avoid caffeine
Drinking enough water helps keep urinary organs healthy, while caffeine and alcohol can increase your need to urinate. Consider limiting liquids before bed.
Practice good urinary hygiene
Good hygiene prevents infections, including the following:
- Wipe from front to back when going to the bathroom to prevent the spread of fecal matter to the urinary system
- Urinate after sex to prevent germs from settling in the urinary tract
- Wear cotton underwear to prevent bacterial growth
Train your bladder
Going to the bathroom on a schedule can help reduce bladder leakage. Increasing the time between urinating can stretch your bladder and help manage urinary incontinence.
Try kegel exercises
Strengthening your pelvic area muscles can help prevent bladder leaks. Research shows that kegel exercises to squeeze and release the pelvic floor muscles help decrease urinary incontinence. A trained pelvic floor therapist can offer other strengthening techniques and options such as electrical stimulation.
Impact on quality of life
Many women try to self manage urinary incontinence by wearing pads and staying near a bathroom. However, there are treatments your doctor can recommend that can help you eliminate the problem rather than just cope.
“Patients often tell me the only thing they regret about their incontinence care is not having it treated sooner,” says Dr. Tompkins.
To make an appointment with Riverside Urogynecology Specialists call 757-782-6450 or visit riversideonline.com/urogynecology.
