Basics Regarding Urinary Incontinence Treatment

By Enid Hinton


There are many potential problems that can afflict the human body as it ages. Urinary incontinence is among them. This is a problem associated with loss of bladder control and the likelihood of developing it increases as a person ages. It affects more than 50 percent of elderly people living at long-term care facilities. It is also more common from females than males. Urinary incontinence treatment is available to those suffering with this problem.

This condition comes in different forms. For some it is related to stress. In these cases, leakage is linked to increase pressure in the abdomen, which may be caused by anything from climbing stairs to coughing, and sneezing to laughing. Essentially, physical stressors on the abdominal cavity and the bladder are enough to produce this leakage problem.

Urge is another type that might be experienced. This refers to leakage that is involuntary and often associated with urgency. Mixed is another version and refers to the combination of stress and urge incontinences. This is marked by involuntary leakage and a stressor like exertion, coughing or sneezing.

Functional refers to the inability of a person to hold their urine. This could be due to a number of reasons not related to neurologic or lower urinary tract dysfunction. The form of incontinence one has may impact signs and symptoms, as well as possible solutions.

People who are struggling with this problem are urged to seek medical attention. The process of diagnosing this condition may involve a range of evaluative tests, including urinalysis, physical examinations and check on patient history. In certain patients, other tests might be needed, for instance: urodynamic studies, cotton swab or cough stress tests, measurement of PVR urine volume, cystoscopy and a voiding diary. Sometimes medications or other medical problems may exacerbate this issue, which is why a full assessment of a patient may be carried out.

Treatment should be tailored to fit the status of the patient. However, there are common remedies issued based on the form of incontinence. For stress, patients may be given surgery, anti-incontinence devices or pelvic floor physiotherapy. For cases of urge leakage, doctors may prescribe changes to diet, pelvic-floor exercises, medications and surgical intervention, and behavior modification. People with the mixed form may be given surgery, anticholinergic drugs and pelvic floor therapy.

Diversion or a catheterization regimen may be assigned to people with overflow, while caring for the underlying cause is often done in cases of functional incontinence. Those who want temporary relief or to go about their life as normally as possible may benefit from absorbency products. These can be used until an official treatment has been applied or been given time to work. They might also be beneficial to those awaiting surgery or as a long-term solution for certain patients.

Although the methods often used in western medicine may produce beneficial results, people should know that there are other options for treatment. Many doctors in alternative medicine offer treatment for this condition and strive to utilize only natural and non-invasive approaches. Ultimately, people should always do research on their doctors and potential treatment options to stay informed. All results will vary based on a range of factors.




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