What is urinary incontinence?
Women with urinary incontinence regularly experience a loss of bladder control. Often, this includes a sudden and intense urge to urinate, followed by unintentional passing of urine. Urinary incontinence ranges from leaking urine after sneezing, coughing or laughing to a complete loss of bladder control.
Urinary incontinence can occur at any age (and even for males), but it is particularly common in older individuals and women during pregnancy, after childbirth, and after the hormonal changes of menopause.
There are four types of urinary incontinence:
- Functional – individuals have difficulty reaching a bathroom in time due to physical conditions, like injury or other disabilities.
- Overflow – people with overflow incontinence leak urine when the amount of urine produced is too much for the bladder to hold.
- Stress – women leak urine when exercising, coughing, sneezing, laughing, or during other activities that put pressure on the bladder.
- Urgency – patients often have strong, sudden and frequent urges to urinate and aren’t able to hold urine long enough to reach a restroom.
Urinary incontinence is common when disease, medication, or the onset of an illness causes a change in body function. It sometimes is the first and only symptom of a urinary tract infection. Women are most likely to experience urinary incontinence when pregnant (due to increased pressure on the bladder), after childbirth (when the uterus and other organs are returning to their normal state), and during/after menopause (when hormones are changing).
Exercising, coughing, sneezing or laughing, and also after surgery or childbirth. Other symptoms can include:
- Feeling an immediate urge to urinate and unable to control it.
- Feeling that your bladder is not completely empty.
Symptoms of urinary incontinence can vary among individuals, and this is why it’s best to see a doctor for an official diagnosis.
A medical professional, usually a gynecologist for women and urologist for men, will perform a physical examination. Looking at urine samples, reproductive organs, and urinary and nervous systems will help a doctor diagnose an individual with urinary incontinence.
How is urinary incontinence treated?
There are several options available for treating urinary incontinence. Bladder training or routine scheduled visits to the bathroom may help those who wish to avoid medical treatment. Improving pelvic muscle tone through kegel exercises or other activities can prevent urine leakages as well.
Other urinary incontinence treatment for women include:
- Botox injections into bladder
- Medication
- Pessary
- Urethral bulking agents
- Urinary incontinence surgery
- Slings
- Bladder suspension
- Peripheral nerve stimulation
Why choose NGPG for urinary incontinence surgery?
NGPG is a trusted choice for gynecological services because of our experienced providers and convenient locations across northeast Georgia. Scheduling an appointment is quick and easy, and our providers always center their care on the patient and family.
All gynecological surgeries, including urinary incontinence surgery, are performed with state-of-the-art technology at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, in Gainesville, Georgia. We provide a variety of minimally-invasive, laparoscopic, and robotic surgery options to help minimize hospital stays, shorten recovery times, and reduce post-surgery pain.
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