Incontinence Bladder or Urine

Pelvis | Urology | Incontinence Bladder or Urine (Symptom)


Description

Urinary incontinence (UI) is any involuntary leakage of urine. It can be a common and distressing problem, which may have a profound impact on quality of life. Urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition but is under-reported to medical practitioners.

Causes

Bladder incontinence has a number of causes. Women are most likely to develop incontinence during pregnancy and childbirth or after the hormonal changes of menopause because of weakened pelvic muscles.

Causes of UI may include: (1) Polyuria (excessive urine production- of which, in turn, the most frequent causes are: uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, primary polydipsia (excessive fluid drinking), central diabetes insipidus and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Polyuria generally causes urinary urgency and frequency, but doesnt necessarily lead to incontinence; (2) Caffeine or cola beverages also stimulate the bladder; (3) Enlarged prostate is the most common cause of incontinence in men after the age of 40. Moreover drugs or radiation used to treat prostate cancer can also cause incontinence, (4) Disorders like multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, Parkinsons disease, strokes and spinal cord injury can all interfere with nerve function of the bladder.

There are many types of incontinence: Overflow Incontinence, Functional Incontinence, Overactive Bladder, Urge Incontinence, and Stress Incontinence.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Recommended tests are bladder stress test, urinalysis and urine culture, ultrasound, Cystoscopy, Urodynamics. Treatment for urinary incontinence depends on the type of incontinence, the severity of your problem and the underlying cause.

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