As mentioned in our previous post, urinary incontinence can happen to anyone. The muscles that support your pelvic organs could weaken with age, you may be at a higher risk if you went through menopause or childbirth, you have an enlarged prostate or have had prostate cancer surgery.
There are also several different types of incontinence that can trigger urine leakage, some include:
Urge incontinence; characterized by an intense need to urinate right away. You are unable to make it to the toilet in time and end up leaking urine. This can be caused by a condition known as overactive bladder (OAB). Weak pelvic muscles, nerve damage, infections, heavier body weights can all be reasons that lead to this cause. Some medications and beverages like alcohol and caffeine can also cause OAB.
Stress incontinence; occurs due to weak pelvic floor muscles that no longer support your pelvic organs causing leakage of urine during movements or activities. Leakage issues often happen when an individual laughs, coughs, sneezes, run, jumps or is lifting. These actions place pressure on your bladder which cause leakage when there is no muscle support.
Speak with your healthcare provider about your medical history and bladder control issues to have a proper diagnosis process for incontinence. There may be physical exams, ultrasounds of your bladder, stress tests, pad tests or cystoscopies to determine your diagnosis.
It is important to know that incontinence can be treated. If you find that it is disturbing your daily activities and lifestyle, we can help you. Give us a call to schedule an appointment with our physiotherapist in order to discuss the range of options to treat incontinence. Whether it be lifestyle changes or exercises these are a few considerations that may be included in your treatment plan.
Reference: Incontinence: Leakage, causes, diagnosis, treatment & prevention. Cleveland Clinic.