www.drwhitted.net
Stress Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is any unintentional leakage of urine.
It can be caused by several underlying
medical conditions, including
urinary infections, strokes, pregnancy, obesity, neurological
problems,
and other health problems sometimes associated with
aging. Stress incontinence is a type of
urinary incontinence.
A person with stress incontinence is unable to hold urine while
coughing,
sneezing, or laughing or during other movements that
put pressure on the bladder, the organ that
collects and holds
urine. Fortunately, stress incontinence can usually be successfully
treated.
Raymond Wayne Whitted MD, MPH
…dedicated to safe, state-of-the-art surgery and health life-styles for women of all ages
URINATION
When you urinate, the muscles of the bladder tighten and squeeze
the urine out through the
urethra, a tube that leads from the
bladder to the outside of your body. At the same time, muscles
surrounding the urethra loosen, allowing the urine to pass through.
These muscles can also tighten
and squeeze the urethra shut
to prevent urine from passing. If these muscles become weak
or
damaged, they may not be able to hold urine during activities
such as sneezing or laughing. The
resulting urine leakage may
be just a small amount, or if the bladder is full, it may be
more.
TESTS FOR STRESS INCONTINENCE
Urinalysistesting urine for evidence of infection and
other abnormalities
Ultrasoundusing sound waves to
measure the amount of
urine remaining in the bladder
after urination
Urodynamicstesting the function of the bladder by filling
it with water through a catheter
(a tube placed through the
urethra into the bladder)
POSSIBLE TREATMENTS FOR STRESS INCONTINENCE
Kegel exercises are designed to strengthen the pelvic floor
muscles that support the
bladder and the muscles that surround
the urethra
Behavioral treatment involves learning how to
gain better control
over the muscles involved in
urination and
incontinence and
may include charts or diaries to track urination
schedules and
episodes of incontinence.
Biofeedback is designed
to increase awareness of muscle tension
using electrical or
pressure
sensing devices.
Pelvic floor electrical stimulation
uses short pulses of electrical
stimulation to strengthen the
pelvic floor muscles.
Collagen injections in the tissues around
the urethra can be
done to improve holding in urine.
Surgery
may improve the support of the bladder and urethra.
If you think
your are
experiencing stress incontinence, see
your doctor for
an evaluation and consideration of the
best
treatment for your
particular symptoms.
If you think your are experiencing stress incontinence, see
your doctor for an evaluation and
consideration of the best
treatment for your particular symptoms.