Everything you need to know about urinary incontinence and its impact on your daily life

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control, a common and often embarrassing problem, ranging in severity from occasionally leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to the urge to urinate so sudden and strong that you don’t get to the toilet in time.

According to the website, mayoclinic Although urinary incontinence occurs more often as people get older, incontinence is not an inevitable result of aging. If incontinence affects your daily activities, see your doctor for most people, and simple lifestyle changes can treat Diet or medical care Symptoms of incontinence.

Within the series of Q&A topics, “The Seventh Day” provides everything you need to know about urinary incontinence.

Q: What are the symptoms of urinary incontinence?

Many people have minor urine leaks from time to time, and others may lose small to moderate amounts of urine more frequently..

Q: What are the types of urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence: urine leaks when you press on your bladder by coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising or lifting something heavy.

Excessive incontinence, experiencing frequent or continuous dripping of urine due to a bladder that does not empty completely.

Functional incontinence. A physical or mental disability prevents you from getting to the toilet in time. For example, if you have severe arthritis, you may not be able to unbutton your pants fast enough..

Mixed incontinence, with more than one type of incontinence, often referring to a combination of stress incontinence and urge incontinence.

Q: What are the causes of urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence can be caused by daily habits, underlying medical conditions, or physical problems, and a thorough evaluation by your doctor can help determine the cause of incontinence..

Some drinks, foods, and medicines may act as diuretics, stimulate the bladder and increase the volume of urine, including “alcohol, caffeine, carbonated drinks, artificial sweeteners, chocolate, hot peppers, foods that contain a high percentage of spices, sugar and acid, especially citrus fruits, heart and blood pressure medications.” Blood, sedatives, muscle relaxants, large doses of vitamin C.”

Urinary incontinence may also be caused by an easily treatable medical condition, such as:

Urinary tract infection. The infection can irritate the bladder, resulting in strong urges to urinate, and sometimes incontinence..

Constipation. The rectum is located close to the bladder and shares many of the same nerves. Hard and compressed stools in the rectum cause these nerves to become more active and urination more frequent..

Pregnancy.. Hormonal changes and fetal weight gain can lead to stress enuresis.

Childbirth.. Natural childbirth can weaken the muscles needed to control the bladder and damage the bladder nerves and supportive tissues, resulting in a prolapse (prolapse) of the pelvic floor.

Q: What are the risk factors for urinary incontinence?

Factors that increase the risk of developing urinary incontinence include the following:

Age. As you age, the muscles of the bladder and urethra lose some of their strength. Changes with age reduce the bladder’s ability to hold it and increase the chances of involuntary urination..

Weight gain: Excess weight puts pressure on the bladder and surrounding muscles, which weakens them and allows urine to leak out when you cough or sneeze.

Smoking. Tobacco use may increase your risk of incontinence.

Family history. If a close family member suffers from incontinence, especially urge incontinence, your risk of developing this condition is higher..

Certain diseases, neurological diseases or diabetes may increase the risk of developing urinary incontinence.

Q: What are the complications of enuresis?

Skin problems, which can develop into rashes, skin infections, and sores from constantly wet skin.

Urinary tract infections: Urinary incontinence increases the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections.

Effects on your personal life Urinary incontinence can affect your social, work and personal relationships.