Facts About Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a very common and commonly-treatable disorder affecting ten million men, women, and children in the United States every year. This disorder is characterized by the unwanted leakage of urine. Individuals with this disorder may suffer the psychosocial consequences of urinary incontinence, including poor self-esteem and social withdrawal. Other consequences include skin diseases and urinary tract infections.
Urinary incontinence has a variety of causes. Certain individuals with neurogenic problems (i.e., multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus) may have urinary incontinence as a consequence of a disease of the nervous system that leads to problems with control. In addition, diseases affecting the bladder, such as urinary tract infection, cancer, and other inflammatory diseases, can cause problems with bladder control as well.
Many children with bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) may have this problem as a consequence of the inability to concentrate the urine at night, which results in larger quantities of urine at night.
Treatment options for incontinence are many. The choice of treatment for incontinence is based upon the individual's cause of incontinence, as well as the severity. Although pads are useful initially to control incontinence, means to cure incontinence are available which may make pads unnecessary. Treatment options include medications, behavioral therapy, and surgical treatments.
A very common cause of incontinence in women is that of "stress urinary incontinence." This occurs when there is weakness of the pelvic floor that supports the bladder, such that the individual leaks spurts of urine on coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising. This incontinence can be cured with the use of pelvic floor exercises, as well as with various surgical treatments.
The National Association for Continence (NAFC), formerly Help for Incontinent People or HIP, is dedicated to consumer education about urinary incontinence. This organization, based in Spartanburg, S.C., has served for the past 14 years as a nationwide clearinghouse for the dissemination of information about incontinence. NAFC has an 800 number, as well as a variety of educational materials available to lay and professional audiences for the purpose of education regarding incontinence.
Further information about the evaluation and treatment of incontinence can be obtained from NAFC at 1-800-BLADDER or PO Box 8310, Spartanburg, SC 29305, e-mail: sbrewer@globalvision.net or visit: http://www.nafc.org
Stress Incontinence
Stress incontinence is common among women who have had children.
This condition causes the release of a small amount of urine while coughing, sneezing, and laughing, during strenuous activity, or when perform-ing weight-bearing exercise.
Pelvic floor exercises and hormone treatment may help resolve the problem.
Urge Incontinence
A term meaning inability to retain urine or control bowel movements, or excessive indulgence in sex. This article deals with the first of these meanings.
Incontinence is usual in the very young because they have not sufficient muscular control, and because their bladders have not grown large enough to hold the nightly production of urine.
It is important not to punish a child for soiling a happy. A sympathetic attitude and good timing will achieve more. Remember that different children gain control over their bowel movements and urination at different ages.
Parents or guardians of children who experience bedwetting at night or "accidents" during the day should treat this problem with understanding and patience. This loss of urinary control is called "urinary incontinence" or just "incontinence." Although it affects many young people, it usually disappears naturally over time, which suggests that incontinence, for some people, may be a normal part of growing up. Incontinence at the normal age of toilet training may cause great distress. Daytime or nighttime incontinence can be embarrassing.
Urinary incontinence is an inability to hold your urine until you get to a toilet. More than 13 million people in the United States-male and female, young and old-experience incontinence. It is often temporary, and it always results from an underlying medical condition.
(In this fact sheet, the term "incontinence" will be used to mean urinary incontinence.)
Prescribing Notes
Incontinence
Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a common, age-related condition in which the prostate swells, impeding the flow of urine through the urethra. A treatment called trans-urethral needle ablation (TUNA) involves heating the prostate with radio waves emitted by a needle-like antenna inserted within the gland. TUNA requires only local anesthesia, and is up to 70 less costly and just as effective as conventional surgery.
Recovery Time:
One day (compared to three to four days for conventional surgery).
For the Enlarged Prostate
Amber colored urine carries the body's waste products and water through the urinary system to outside the body. As blood passes through the kidneys, water, urea, salts and minerals are removed and become urine. The urinary system consists of two kidneys, two ureters, one bladder and one urethra. More urine is excreted when liquids and foods that contain more water such as meats and fruits are consumed. Diuretics, such as water pills and other medications, cause your kidneys to remove extra water from the blood. Coffee, tea and alcohol can cause your kidneys to make more urine.
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