What is Urinary Incontinence?
UI or urinary incontinence is a disorder which results in partial or complete loss of bladder control. The symptoms could fare anywhere between mild leaks to irrepressible wetting. It is quite common, and can affect anyone. A consequence of weak or overactive muscles, the onset of UI usually comes with age, but it can still affect a subject at any point in their lives. Statistics reveal that men suffer from UI about half as often as women do, which makes it an infinitely more potent danger if you are a woman.
Incontinence Treatment Strategies
There are different types of incontinence, and each type has its own optimal procedure for treatment. For example, the suggested cure for overflow incontinence is diversion or a catheterization regimen. The underlying cause must be detected and eliminated for termination of functional incontinence, and anticholinergic drugs combined with surgery in some cases are preferred for mixed incontinence. Medication, surgery, anti-incontinence devices and pelvic floor physiotherapy are all viable options for stress incontinence, while diet and behavioural modification, pelvic-floor exercise and medication can relieve you of urge incontinence.
Some of the more common urinary incontinence treatment methods for women are:
Medical Devices: A urethral insert behaves like a plug, and prevents leakage. It can be removed before urination. Another such device is a stiff ring called a pessary. It is inserted into the vagina and worn throughout the day. It holds the bladder up and prevents leakage.
Pelvic-floor Muscle Exercise Techniques: These muscles control urination, and specific targeted exercises can strengthen them. Doctors and physiotherapists can recommend these exercise routines.
Behavioural Therapy: A doctor or therapist can also attempt targeted psychology to control incontinence. This includes bladder training, dieting, fluid intake control, scheduling toilet trips double voiding etc.
Electrical Stimulation Therapy: This is another method to strengthen the muscles in the pelvic floor. It involves temporary insertion and activation of electrodes in the vagina to stimulate the muscles.
Medication: Anticholinergics like Mirabegron, Alpha blockers, Myrbetriq and topical estrogen are widely used to treat or curb incontinence.
Interventional Therapy: Bulking material injections involve the injection of a certain synthetic material into the urethra’s surrounding tissue portion. This keeps the urethra closed and in turn, reduces leakage.
Surgery: Surgery is usually not undertaken unless the condition is very serious, or if any other urinary incontinence treatment isn’t showing any effect. Prolapse surgery is effective for patients with pelvic organ prolapse or mixed incontinence. The bladder neck suspension procedure involves making an abdominal incision under anaesthesia to provide support to the thick bladder neck and urethra. Sling procedures are popular, which involve the creation of a pelvic sling using body tissue, mesh or synthetic material around the urethra and bladder neck. This is effective for stress incontinence. Incontinence Treatment in men involves a fluid-filled ring called an artificial urinary sphincter that is implanted about the neck of the bladder to do the same.
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