What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is when urine accidentally leaks from your bladder. Though it’s a common problem, urinary incontinence isn’t something you have to live with. There are two main types of incontinence that affect women:
Stress incontinence
Stress incontinence is the most common type. It can occur when pressure on your bladder and urethra causes urine to leak. When you have stress incontinence, everyday actions like laughing, sneezing, and exercising can lead to urine leakage.
Urge incontinence
Also known as overactive bladder, urge incontinence happens when you experience a sudden, intense need to urinate before you can reach a bathroom. This type can also cause you to feel the urge to urinate more frequently, even though you don’t produce much urine when you get to the bathroom.
Many women experience mixed incontinence, which involves both stress and urge incontinence.
What causes urinary incontinence in women?
Urinary incontinence is often due to problems with the muscles and nerves that help control the release of urine.
One of the reasons urinary incontinence is more common among women than men is because women experience unique health events like pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause, and all of them can affect these nerves and muscles.
Surgeries that involve women’s reproductive organs, such as hysterectomy, can also damage the pelvic floor muscles and lead to incontinence.
Many other things can cause incontinence, including chronic constipation, urinary tract infections, and consuming too much caffeine. At South Shore Women's Care, Dr. Fomitcheva determines the underlying cause of urinary incontinence so she can recommend the most effective treatment.
How is urinary incontinence treated?
Dr. Fomitcheva creates an individualized treatment plan that addresses the particular type, severity, and cause of your incontinence. Depending on your needs, treatment for urinary incontinence may include:
- Behavioral techniques like bladder training and scheduling bathroom trips
- Pelvic floor muscle exercises
- Lifestyle changes like altering your eating and drinking habits
- Hormone replacement therapy to boost estrogen levels
- Medical devices like a pessary
If nonsurgical treatments don’t adequately relieve your symptoms, Dr. Fomitcheva may recommend surgery, such as a sling procedure to support your urethra.
For compassionate care of urinary incontinence, call South Shore Women's Care or request an appointment online today.
