By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
Urinary incontinence is uncontrolled urination. You can’t control your bladder and you leak urine.
Usually, urinary incontinence is not a serious condition and maybe temporary. It could cause embarrassment though if you suddenly leak in a party. But with the availability of sanitary napkins, panty liners and adult diapers, this is no longer a problem.
The most common type of urinary incontinence is 1) stress incontinence which occurs when there is pressure on the bladder like coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising or lifting something heavy. This is aggravated when you are overweight or pregnant. Vaginal delivery can weaken the pelvic floor muscles needed for bladder control so stress incontinence is more common in women than men. As we age, the muscles of the bladder and urethra may also weaken and the amount of urine it can store may decrease thus causing incontinence.
Other types of urinary incontinence are:
2) Urge incontinence – there’s a sudden intense urge to urinate followed by involuntary flow of urine. This may be caused by an infection or diabetes or a neurological problem.
3) Overflow incontinence – here you experience frequent or constant dribbling of urine because your bladder doesn’t empty completely because of blockage in the flow of urine which happens in prostate enlargement and constipation.
4) Functional incontinence – this may be caused by a physical or mental condition that prevents you from making it to the toilet on time. Like if you have difficulty walking or you cannot unbutton your pants quickly enough.
5) Mixed – you may have more than one type of incontinence.
Some foods and drinks and medications can also act as diuretics and/or irritate the bladder making you urinate more. These include the following:
1) Alcohol or spirits
2) Caffeine – this is present in coffee, tea and chocolate
3) Carbonated drinks including sparkling water
4) Artificial sweeteners
5) Spicy foods
6) Processed foods – these contain a lot of artificial ingredients that may irritate the bladder.
7) Heart and blood pressure medications
There will be individual differences of the body’s reaction to these foods and drinks so be observant on what gives you temporary incontinence.
If urinary incontinence becomes bothersome to you or you experience other symptoms, it is time to consult a doctor to determine what type it is and what’s causing the problem.
Treatment will depend on the type of urinary incontinence and cause of the problem. Because the usual type is stress incontinence, the treatment is behavioral changes which include the following:
1. Maintain an ideal body weight and have enough physical exercise to regain control of your bladder.
2. Have a healthy diet, control foods and drinks that may irritate your bladder.
3. Bladder training- intentionally delaying urination after you feel the urge to go. Start with 10 minutes delay until you can control your trip to the toilet every 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
4. Scheduled toilet trips – instead of waiting for the urge to go, be conscious of the time and urinate every 2-4 hours.
5. Double voiding- this means urinating, then wait for a few minutes then trying again. This is to empty your bladder completely and avoid overflow incontinence.
6. Pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegel exercises) to strengthen the muscles that help control urination, especially for stress incontinence. How to do it?
– Imagine that you are trying to stop urine flow. Tighten or contract the muscles and hold for 5 seconds then relax for another 5 seconds. It is better to synchronize this with your breathing. Tighten and breathe in then relax and breathe out.
– Work up to holding contractions for 10 seconds at a time.
– Aim for at least 3 sets of 10 repetitions per day.
Other types of incontinence caused by obstruction may need medications and/or surgery. ***
“Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Hebrews 12:1
