Urinary
incontinence is a health ailment and seen as a common and often
embarrassing problem both in men and women. This disease begins
with a loss of bladder control. Urinary incontinence occurs typically in persons
who already have certain types of health conditions, which includes Parkinson's
disease, an enlarged prostate, and diabetes, urinary tract infection. Apart
from these diseases, a prostate surgery also adds to the possibility of urinary
incontinence. Though it is a disturbing and uncomfortable health condition; with
the help of appropriate treatment and practice, it is curable.
Understanding the Condition
In simple words, Incontinence can be referred as an inability
of the bladder muscles and nerves to hold onto or release urine. Most of the
time, a person suffering this ailment would feel an urge to go the bathroom.
The problem is sometimes so severe that the person suffering from it can even
leak urine while sneezing or coughing.
There
are five types of Incontinence
●
Stress
Incontinence – In this kind of incontinence, the person
suffering can observe urine leakage
even while undertaking his/her daily work or activities. Any activity that puts
pressure on the bladder can result in leaking of the urine. Laughing, lifting
heavy objects, exercising, sneezing, coughing, et cetera are some examples of
such activities.
●
Urge
Incontinence – It can also be referred to as overactive
bladder (OAB). In this type of incontinence, urine leakage is followed by a sudden and intense urge of going to
the bathroom. If any person has to go to urinate for eight times a day or more
than once at night, then the person may be suffering from this ailment.
●
Mixed
Incontinence - This is the submissive form of the above
two discussed incontinence, i.e., it would contain both the symptoms of the
stress and the urge incontinences. This is most common in women.
●
Overflow
Incontinence – In this type of incontinence, the person
suffering feels an incapability of emptying the bladder completely and hence the
urine leakage can be observed when
the bladder gets full. This is mostly detected in men.
● Functional Incontinence –
this type of incontinence is seen in people already suffering from some of the
acute medical conditions, which would hinder in their bathroom visit for urine.
One such medical condition is arthritis, which keeps the person away from
getting to the bathroom on time due to the pain it causes.
Conclusion
Most
of the times the reasons and causes that should get checked for this ailments
cure are related to simple acts. Loss of mobility due to some physical injury
at an older age, any mental illness, some of the acute medical conditions,
predominantly those which affects the brain or human nervous systems, such as
Parkinson’s, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis and brain damage due to
some accident, can cause incontinence too. Weak pelvic floor muscles, smoking
and being overweight can also sometimes add on to this disease to be a chronic
one.
Hence,
it is advised to visit a doctor if any of the above symptoms occur in any one
of your family members. With proper precautions on eating habits and adequate medicines,
the problem of incontinence will be curable with ease.