What is incontinence?
Incontinence is a common condition that means the involuntary loss of urine. This condition can occur for a number of reasons but is most commonly associated with the loss of urine when coughing, sneezing, or exercising or by the inability to hold urine when the urge to urinate occurs. Both men and women are affected by incontinence, most typically as they get older. Several types and causes of incontinence exist, and many can be treated to either eliminate or significantly reduce the problem.
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of large or little amounts of urine. This problem is thought to affect 13 million Americans and impacts the physical, emotional and financial well being of individuals and their families. It is estimated that fewer than half of those who suffer with incontinence seek help for this problem. It is important to know that there is treatment available for incontinence, and that surgery is not the only option.
Broadly speaking, the medical term incontinence refers to any involuntary release of bodily fluids, but many people associate it strongly with the inability to control urine flow. There are actually several different forms of incontinence — fecal, urinary and in some cases seminal. Physicians would be most likely to define a patient’s condition as ‘fecal incontinence’ or ‘urinary stress incontinence’. Some may actually have a condition called ‘mixed incontinence’ — a combination of both fecal and urinary difficulties. Urinary incontinence occurs when the sphincter muscles at the base of the bladder fail to hold back the flow of urine. In healthy people, these sphincter muscles remain rigid until the urge to urinate becomes too strong to ignore. The bladder receives and stores urine from the kidneys until it reaches a certain capacity, generally around eight fluid ounces. At this point, healthy people should feel the first signal to urinate. The bladder can continue to store urine unt
Urinary incontinence is the inability to stop urine leakage. Incontinence can be embarrassing in that it interferes with living a normal, full life. But there are several ways to control it. This article explains the different types of incontinence along with management and treatment options. Incontinence is Common If you have trouble controlling your bladder, you are not alone. Loss of bladder control is a common problem, shared by millions of Americans. Incontinence can rob you of sleep and leave you exhausted. It can make travel awkward and keep you from enjoying physical activity. Despite these frustrations, fewer than half the people with incontinence seek help. Many feel too embarrassed, while others don’t realize that help is available. Incontinence is Treatable The successful treatment of incontinence begins with an accurate diagnosis. Then you and your doctor can discuss your treatment options. These may include certain medications, exercises and other therapy to help strength
Incontinence is defined as the inability to control the bodily evacuative functions of urination or defecation. Incontinence can involve the loss of normal control of the bladder (called urinary incontinence) or the bowel (called bowel or fecal incontinence). Incontinence is not as uncommon a problem as people perceive it to be. Unfortunately, most people are not cognizant of this issue until this symptom affects them directly. It is reported that victims of incontinence have a tendency to feel embarrassed or ashamed and try to deal with this issue on their own.
