What is urinary incontinence in Females?

Urinary incontinence is when you lose control of your bladder, and it can be a common and embarrassing issue. The severity can range from leaking urine a little when you cough or sneeze to having a sudden, strong urge to urinate that makes it hard to get to the bathroom in time. Many people experience this condition as they get older, but it is not a normal part of aging. If urinary incontinence affects your daily life, talk to your doctor. For most people, simple changes to their lifestyle and diet or medical treatment can help manage the symptoms.

What causes urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is not a normal consequence of aging, though it occurs most often in elderly females. It is typically due to specific changes in bodily functions which may be associated with diseases, use of medicines and/or onset of an illness. Occasionally it is the first and only symptom of a urinary tract infection. Women are most likely to develop urinary incontinence during pregnancy and after childbirth or as a result of the changes triggered by menopause.

What are the Types of Urinary Incontinence?

Some incontinence-related issues fall into distinct categories. These types are discussed below:

Urgency incontinence — This is a problem that makes it possible to urinate before reaching a restroom. It may be related to a condition of frequent urination and having to go quickly because of a strong, sudden feeling to urinate. It is often a medical condition in and of itself, but it can also be symptomatic of other diseases or conditions for which medical attention is appropriate.
Stress incontinence — This is leakage of urine when a person is exercising, sneezing, coughing, laughing or while lifting heavy materials or any type of body movement that may exert pressure on the bladder.
Functional incontinence — It occurs due to the inability to reach a toilet in time because of the physical condition of a person such as arthritis, injury or any other form of disability.
Overflow incontinence — This occurs when the urine produced is more than the bladder's carrying capacity.

What are the symptoms of urinary incontinence?

The following are common symptoms of urinary incontinence. However, every person may be more severely affected by some than others. Symptoms may include:

Having an urgency to get to the restroom and/or having an involuntary leakage accompanying urgency or also with activity, such as hurrying to the toilet, fear of incontinence, urine leakage with movements or exercise
Leakage of urine preventing activities or interfering with daily life
Urine leakage with coughing, sneezing or laughing
Leakage of urine which started or continued after surgery
Urinary leakage that embarrasses
Prolonged feeling of wetness and no sensation to explain this wetness
The sensation that the bladder is not fully emptied

How is urinary incontinence diagnosed?

Patients suffering from urinary incontinence should consult a health care provider. In many cases, the physician may find it prudent to refer the patient to an urogynecologist or urologist, a doctor that has specialized in diseases of the urinary tract. A diagnosis of urinary incontinence is made through a comprehensive physical examination, which takes account of the urinary and nervous systems, reproductive organs, and urine samples.

What is the treatment for urinary incontinence?

Specific treatment for urinary incontinence depends on the following factors:

Age, general health, medical history
Type of incontinence and the severity of disease
Patient's tolerance for some medications, treatments or therapies
The patient's expectations regarding the course of the disease
Patient's preference/choice

Treatment may be in the form of:

Behavioural therapies: Bladder training — Trains people to resist urge to void and gradually increases the time interval between the urges.
Toilet skills support: Scheduled or routine toileting, habit training timetable, and prompted voiding are set to help prevent the bladder from too long an idle period, thus causing leakages.
Dietary modifications: Bladder irritants are avoided like caffeine, alcohol and citrus fruits.
Pelvic muscle conditioning: This is done to restore the pelvic muscle tone that may control the leakage:
- Kegel exercises — The pelvic muscles can be exercised daily for consecutive time-intervals to maintain or even prevent urinary incontinence.
- Biofeedback — Exercises used with Kegel exercises. They make the individual conscious of pelvic muscles and can control them.
- Vaginal weights — Small weights placed in the vagina and controlled by contracting the vaginal muscles.
- Pelvic floor electrical stimulation — Mild electrical impulses that cause contractions.

Medications

Anticholinergic medications
Vaginal estrogen
Pessary — Small rubber device put inside the vagina to prevent leakage

Office procedures

Botox injections into bladder
Urethral bulking agents
Peripheral nerve stimulation

Surgery

Slings (may be synthetic mesh or your own tissue)
Bladder suspension
Peripheral nerve stimulation

How is urinary incontinence managed?

Many women wear protective pads, shields, or diapers to protect their clothing from urine leakage. Alternatively, specially designed absorbent underclothing, which appears much like normal underwear, can be worn easily under everyday clothing.

Why Choose Tender Palm Super Speciality Hospital for Female Urinary Incontinence treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Hospital has the most experienced team of Urologists and diagnostics with the latest and International standard infection control measures in Lucknow, India. The Urology team has decades of experience in successfully treating Female Urinary Incontinence in Lucknow, India.