Urinary Incontinence
Do you leak urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, walk, lift, or run?
Do you consistently run to the bathroom “just in case”?
When you feel the need to urinate, do you have the ability to get to the washroom in time?
Do you use pads because of decreased bladder control?
Do bladder problems interfere with activities you enjoy?
Do bladder problems interfere with sexual activity?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you may have urinary incontinence.
What Is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary release of urine at the wrong place or time. It is not a disease, but a symptom of something else going on in the body. Urinary incontinence is not a normal consequence of aging, childbirth, or surgery. However, it is common with over 1.5 million Canadians experiencing the loss of bladder control in the past year. 83% are women, with nearly half between the ages of 35 and 54.
Causes Of Urinary Incontinence
There are many possible causes of incontinence. Urinary incontinence may be caused by:
- Weakening of the pelvic floor muscles
- Overactive bladder or pelvic floor muscles
- Trauma due to pregnancy, labour, or delivery
- Constipation
- Gynecological conditions, such an endometriosis
- Prolapse of pelvic organs
- A consequence of surgery
- Occupational heavy lifting
- Chronic respiratory conditions
- Changes due to aging and menopause
- Injuries from an accident
- Neurological disorders
- Medications
Symptoms Of Urinary Incontinence
There are three main symptoms of urinary incontinence:
Stress, which is leakage with coughing, sneezing, laughing, walking, lifting, running, or rising from a chair or a bed.
Urgency, which is the strong need to pass urine, which, if ignored could cause leakage, usually made worse with caffeine or alcohol.
Frequency, which is the need to empty the bladder often, with only short times in between visits to the toilet.
Types Of Urinary Incontinence
There are five different types of urinary incontinence:
Stress Incontinence: The involuntary loss of urine during coughing, sneezing, laughing, or other physical activities that increase abdominal pressure.
Urge Incontinence: The involuntary loss of urine that occurs when a person is aware of the need to urinate, but is unable to hold urine back long enough to reach the toilet.
Mixed Incontinence: the involuntary loss of urine with elements of both stress and urge incontinence.
Overflow Incontinence: The involuntary loss of urine from an overfull bladder without the urge to urinate.
Post Surgical Incontinence: The involuntary loss of urine after pelvic floor or prostate surgery.
