Incontinence And Aging Does Not Always Go Together

Loss of bladder control seems like a silly thing and yet urinary incontinence is not a laughing matter. Many people find, especially as they age, that they will leak a small amount of urine when they cough, sneeze, or even laugh. Many are embarrassed by this issue, some even too embarrassed to speak to their doctor about it, however it is a lot more common then people realize. Millions of adults in the United States have experienced some sort of urinary incontinence and is more common in women than men. Most of those affected by it are over the age of 50; however, many women experience this at a younger age especially after having given birth.

There are many different issues that can cause urinary incontinence or loss of bladder control and there are a wide range of illnesses that can cause this problem including serious problems such as diabetes and prostate problems. A full range of issues can include any of the following: child birth or changes attributed to menopause, for men an enlarged prostate or prostate surgery, certain medicines, a build up of stools in the bowels, vascular disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Diabetes, and even being overweight or obese can cause this to occur. With such a wide variety of issues and illnesses that loss of bladder control can be contributed to it is definitely advisable to consult a health care provider about this issue. There are several different types of urinary incontinence that can occur.

When you have bladder leakage due to sneezing or laughing, that is referred to stress incontinence. It is normally attributed having weakness in the pelvic muscles. This is not something that should send you to the doctor. However if you suffer from what is called urge incontinence which simply means that you have to go so fast that you can make it to the bathroom. This can be caused by urinary tract infections and needs to be checked.

Overflow incontinence is something that occurs then small amounts of urine leak out unexpectedly. This is caused by an overfilled bladder and can occur when something is blocking the urinary flow or with conditions such as an enlarged prostate gland or tumor. Another type of incontinence is functional incontinence and this has less to do with the bladder and more to do with another condition that is causing the inability to make it to the bathroom in time. Many times this other condition, like arthritis, doesn't allow people to move quickly or freely enough and hence an accident occurs.

Incontinence does occur more frequently when you get older but it is not something that has to be a natural part of aging. If it is something that has suddenly started happening with you then go and check it out with your doctor. Ignoring it can be ignoring an issue that could be a symptom of something larger that needs to be addressed.

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