The Causes of Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is an extremely common problem. There are about 12 million adults who are affected in the United States. It is a condition that afflicts more women than men. The age group that is most susceptible belong to those who are above 50 years. Unfortunately, many people who suffer from urinary incontinence do not seek help for their problems due to feeling embarrassment. If no early treatment is sought in some cases, rashes and sores can develop.

A common cause of urinary incontinence happens due to the thinning and drying of the vagina and urethra when they are post-menopausal. Weak pelvic muscles weakened by childbirth may also cause it. Then, there are also the effects of some kinds of medications that can cause urinary incontinence. A build up of stool in the bowels may also bring on the symptoms. Repeated occurrences of urinary tract infections may also be indicative of a urinary incontinence problem.

On the other hand, urinary incontinence in men may be caused by an enlarged prostate glad or had prostate surgery. They may suffer from incontinence because of diabetes or high calcium levels in the body. Men may have bladder incontinence if they are not able to move around, and because of certain medications they may be taking.

All in all, there are four basic types of urinary incontinence and each has their own causes. Stress incontinence is most common in women, who have had children or stomach surgery. It occurs when you laugh, cough, or lift something heavy.

Urge incontinence happens when you need to urinate without any warning and are unable to reach a toilet in time. No prior warning is experienced. It commonly afflicts the elderly or those with a bladder or kidney infection.

The third form of urinary incontinence is called overflow incontinence. It is usually caused by a medical condition such as diabetes, tumor or enlarged prostate. Certain medications can also aggravate it. Your body may feel that it cannot empty the bladder and may cause a patient to strain when urinating. This type of incontinence is more common in men.

The last form of urinary incontinence occurs because a person has problems getting to the bathroom in time, even though they may have a normal functioning bladder and kidney control. They are prevented from making it to the toilet sooner because of other physical problems or diseases that inhibits their movement.

No matter what type or form of urinary incontinence you are experiencing; there are some things that you can do. For instance, certain exercises and bladder retraining are options that you can consider. Refrain from suffering with this problem in silence. There is no need to. Consult your doctor on which is the best treatment method for your case.