Understand what is and what is the treatment for urinary incontinence

Understand what is and what is the treatment for urinary incontinence

 Involuntary loss of urine is a common problem, but it can cause many embarrassments. The disorder affects about 10 million. Pakistan and many other countries of all ages and are more recurrent in women and the elderly. However, you don't have to suffer from it forever. The first step in treating urinary incontinence is to admit that there is a problem and to see a doctor.

The disorder causes a great social impact on the individual, who often, for fear of accidents, ends up leaving aside the practice of sports and social life. Do you want to better understand what this dysfunction is, why does it happen, what are the symptoms, and what is the best treatment? We take all your doubts in the following post. Check out!

What is urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is an involuntary loss of urine through the urethra. The problem can happen for various causes and increases progressively with age, affecting one in three elderly people. It is more common in women, who are twice as likely to suffer from incontinence than men. 

stress incontinence: occurs during activities such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, and making a physical effort;

urge incontinence: the individual feels a sudden need to urinate and the bladder contracts instantly, leading to involuntary loss of urine;

overflow incontinence: the bladder does not empty, leading to dripping;

mixed incontinence: more than one type of urinary incontinence occurs.

What are the main causes?

Several factors cause the involuntary loss of urine, among them, the intake of food, drinks, and medicines that act as diuretics and can increase the volume of urine, causing momentary incontinence. Urinary tract infections, constipation, and stress can also lead to this condition, however, the problem is easily treatable.

More serious cases, in which the dysfunction is persistent, may be related to changes such as:

pregnancy ;

childbirth;

obstruction of the urinary tract;

aging;

menopause;

hysterectomy;

enlargement or cancer of the prostate;

neurological disorders.

Urinary incontinence products

How is it diagnosed and what is the best treatment for urinary incontinence?

Even if you are not comfortable talking about it, you need to see a doctor if the problem is affecting your quality of life. The initial assessment is based on the patient's clinical history and physical and laboratory tests.

The doctor will assess the clinical condition and the impact of the disorder on the patient's quality of life to check the need for treatment. There are mild cases where treatment is unnecessary, while in others, incontinence can be a manifestation of more serious problems, and treatment becomes essential.

It includes behavioral changes such as decreased fluid intake, periodic urination, treatment of constipation, diabetes, and obesity. Also, physiotherapy for strengthening the pelvic floor and electrical stimulation may be indicated.

The use of medicines is indicated in cases of urge incontinence and prostate problems. The surgical procedure is recommended only in more complex cases or that have not had a good response to previous treatments.

The involuntary loss of urine is a very common problem, which can have different causes and mainly affects the elderly. In addition to visiting the doctor and seeking the best treatment for urinary incontinence, the patient can purchase some products that minimize the social impact, increase safety in the event of accidents and improve the quality of life, such as waterproof sheets, men's pads, and disposable underwear.

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