Treatment For Embarrassing Bladder Incontinence Symptoms
Urinary incontinence is an inability to control bladder leakage of urine until a toilet is reached. The bladder leakage can range from just a small amount to the entire bladder emptying and causing public embarrassment.
Approximately ten percent of people over age 65 suffer from some type of bladder incontinence symptoms, however bladder leakage is not a result of aging. You should not accept bladder incontinence symptoms as a part of getting older.
Bladder incontinence symptoms primarily describe any involuntary loss of urine, regardless of the circumstance. Some people may only have bladder leakage while sneezing, coughing, laughing, or upon exertion. While others may experience an uncontrollable urge to urinate, and have bladder leakage as a result.
Some people simply endure bladder incontinence symptoms due to not realizing it is a real medical condition or fear of embarrassment if they talk to their doctor. In an attempt to avoid accidents from bladder leakage; people with bladder incontinence may stay at home, limit activities to those with toilet accessibility or purchase pads and undergarments to wear. All of these have a negative impact on the person’s social and psychological well being.
People do not have to suffer in silence. Treatment options are available for bladder incontinence symptoms. The treatment options for bladder incontinence symptoms range from conservative treatments (like behavioral and physical therapy) to invasive, aggressive options such as surgery. Your doctor will probably (and should) start with the least invasive treatments first and move on to more aggressive ones when earlier treatments have failed. Here is a list of possible treatment options you may have for your bladder leakage problems.
Behavioral Techniques and Lifestyle Changes for Treating Bladder Incontinence Symptoms
These techniques may in some cases be the only treatment of bladder incontinence symptoms you require. Treatment includes:
• Bladder training to help control the urge to urinate. The patient delaying urination after they have the urge to go accomplishes the treatment. Patients start out by waiting a small amount of time (minutes) and increasing the delay time as bladder leakage is controlled. The goal is to cut toilet trips down to one every two to four hours.
As a part of bladder training, the patient may be encouraged to double void (urinate, wait and attempt to urinate again) in order to ensure complete emptying of the bladder.
• A toileting schedule means going to the bathroom to urinate on a schedule. At first the interval between bathroom trips is small (one hour) and is gradually increased (2-4 hours) as bladder incontinence symptoms decrease.
• Dietary management involves reducing fluid intake at times when urinating frequently is not an option (like at night) and reducing items such as alcohol and caffeine that can cause an increase in urine production.
Physical Therapy Treatments to Reduce Bladder Leakage
Physical therapy interventions for bladder incontinence symptoms include exercises (like Kegel exercises) to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and support the bladder. The increased muscle tone can help control bladder leakage.
Medications and Surgical Treatments for Bladder Incontinence Symptoms
Medications to calm the bladder are often used to help subside the feeling of urgency and involuntary spasm of the bladder that cause bladder leakage. Anti-depressants and topical estrogen have also been affective in controlling bladder incontinence symptoms.
Surgical interventions include placement of electrical nerve stimulators, artificial urinary sphincters, and procedures to hold the bladder in place if the bladder has fallen into the pelvic cavity. Surgery should always be a last resort.
Managing your bladder incontinence symptoms cannot begin until you discuss your symptoms with a doctor, determine that your bladder leakage is not from a more serious problem and develop a treatment plan to control bladder leakage.
