Bladder Control Problems And What Causes Them
Jun 7th, 2009 by by Guest Author No Comments
Millions of Americans suffer from urinary incontinence or leaking urine. Women are affected more frequently than men, in fact, almost 50% of women will experience urinary incontinence at some point in their lives.
Many people think that this condition comes naturally with age, that it is a natural result of aging. It’s not. It’s true that it becomes more common as people age, but it’s not inevitable and can be treated.
There are many causes of bladder control problems and can range form very simple to very complex. Urinary system is very complex and relies on accurately coordinated activities of muscles and nerves. Any damage to this finely tuned system can result in urinary incontinence.
Potential causes of urinary incontinence are many: damaged nerves and/or muscles that control the bladder, urinary tract infections, medications, pregnancy and childbirth, tumors in or near the bladder, neurological disorders. Loss of bladder control can also be associated with lack of sleep, social anxiety, sexual activity, and alcohol, just to name a few.
What types of urinary Incontinence are there? There are 3 basic types: urge incontinence, stress incontinence and overflow incontinence.
Stress incontinence is the most common type of incontinence. It causes urine to leak from the bladder when coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising, lifting, and so on.
Urge incontinence involves an urgent desire to urinate. Leakage of urine happens due to bladder muscles that contract inappropriately. It is also called an overactive bladder.
People with overflow incontinence leak urine from an overly full bladder without sensing that they have to urinate. Weak bladder muscles, blocked urethra, or nerve damage can be the cause of it. This kind of incontinence is more common in men due to the prostate related problems.
Urinary incontinence can be an uncomfortable and upsetting condition, but in most cases can be treated and controlled, if not cured. The problem is that many people don’t seek medical help. If you’re having bladder control problems, see your doctor.