Treatment For Urinary Incontinence in Elderly Female Patients
Nearly half of women over 50 say they sometimes leak urine, but many are too embarrassed to speak up.
A third of the survey respondents said that leaking is “just something I have to deal with,” while another 20 percent admitted it was both an annoyance and had caused some embarrassment in their lives.
As part of a poll on aging conducted for The Associated Press and NBC News, NORC at the University of Chicago asked 1,054 adults age 50 and over whether they had ever “had any trouble holding in their pee.” Forty-eight percent said yes. And among those aged 60 to 69, one in five said they sometimes leaked urine.
Over the years, doctors have used a variety of treatments for urinary incontinence, but many women feel uncomfortable discussing their problem with their doctor or don’t know what is available.
“It may take them a long time to come up with it as an issue,” says Dr. A. Scott Connelly, a professor of urology and women’s health at the University of California Davis School of Medicine. “They are often embarrassed or too busy to think about it as a problem.”
But urinary incontinence is a serious medical issue that can have an impact on quality of life — including reduced social activity and feelings of embarrassment, isolation, and depression.
As one Granny stated: “I leak when I laugh, sneeze or cough.”
What Is Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence – or the involuntary loss of urine, occurs when certain muscles in your bladder and kidneys do not work properly. As a result, there is a sudden and uncontrolled leak of urine.
Many different problems can cause urinary incontinence, including pregnancy and childbirth, injuries that injure your bladder or spinal cord, nerve damage as you get older, surgery to the abdomen or pelvis (Urologic Surgery), diseases that affect the kidneys or nerves in the bladder.
In addition to physical problems that cause urinary incontinence, such as weak bladder muscles or nerve damage, you may develop a problem with your bladder if you are stressed, have had many children, do not exercise, drink too much alcohol, and/or eat foods that irritate your bladder.
Given these types of factors, it is no wonder that over half the female population will develop some type of urinary incontinence during their lifetime.
During the last decade, doctors have tried different ways to help these women regain control of their urination and regain a normal lifestyle.
Treatment for urinary incontinence in elderly female patients.
The most effective treatment is usually a combination of simple measures along with other more complex therapies. Dr. Connelly cites Kegel exercises for strengthening the pelvic muscles as one important part of the treatment.
“I think that the first thing that doctors should do is identify what type of incontinence they have,” said Dr. Connelly “If it’s stress, which is by far the most common cause for women under age 50 and a lot of women over 50, then they should recommend Kegel exercises.“
The Kegel or pelvic muscle exercise is a simple procedure that you can do to help strengthen your muscles.
It’s done by squeezing and relaxing the muscles you use to stop the flow of urine when you are urinating, such as stopping the flow when you feel like you may soon have an accident (a strong sudden feeling in your bladder).
When you do Kegels, you are exercising the muscles that help control urination.
Don’t worry about when to do them; just squeeze and relax the muscles whenever you think of it throughout the day (and night).
In fact, Dr. Connelly says he has heard from patients who say they sometimes wake up at night and do their Kegels.
This is not the only treatment available for urinary incontinence; however, it is a very important one.
Doctors have also been trying to help women overcome this medical issue with different types of surgical procedures.
Doctors can place womens’ bladders in a more protected spot, thus helping them to prevent leakage.
Most of the time, these procedures are performed by gynecologists and urogynecologists.
Although some women are not good candidates for this type of surgery, it does work for many women.
Another procedure that is very helpful in treating stress incontinence is a sling, which can also be placed by a urogynecologist.
“A sling can help with stress incontinence by redirecting the flow of urine back toward the bladder,” said Dr. Connelly “
It also helps to keep the urethra stabilized.” Sling surgery is often successful in treating older women, but not as helpful in younger patients.
At times, it may even be more helpful in treating stress incontinence in men than women.
It is important for you to realize that the earlier you seek treatment for urinary incontinence, the easier it will be to overcome this medical issue.
The most important thing in treating stress incontinence is to get treatment. The earlier you seek help, the easier it will be to overcome this medical issue.
About Dr. Connelly
Dr. Connelly is one of the only urogynecologists in Colorado Springs who treats women with stress and urge incontinence. He has written several books on these types of problems and consults with women who have been troubled by their bladder control problems.
He has also developed effective treatments for stress incontinence that are non-invasive in nature, which doesn’t involve surgery.
His patients are usually very satisfied with the results of these procedures and they can go on to live a normal lifestyle and do the things that they have always wanted to do, such as playing golf and skiing.
Dr. Connelly says that most of his patients are older women who have experienced leakage problems for years, and don’t know what to do about it.
Some of these women may even be dealing with sexual dysfunction issues because they can’t perform sexually like they used to.
Although urinary incontinence is a common condition that most women will experience at some point in their lives, there are different types of stress and urge urine leakage troubles that can interfere with daily activities.
Most often, women with urge incontinence leak urine when they feel like they have to go, but don’t make it to the bathroom in time.
Dr. Connelly says that urge incontinence is a common problem among women who have had bladder surgery, and may find that they experience leakage after physical activity, sneezing, coughing, laughing, or even sexual activity.
If you think that your overactive bladder may be interfering with your ability to do daily activities, talk with your doctor about different options available.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24487005/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181101085113.htm
