Ask the Expert Archive Week 17
Female Incontinence
If you're a woman who's had a few children vaginally, you've probably noticed that you leak. You begin to understand those commercials for adult diapers. It's called female incontinence and Dr. Paul Caldwell tells us what we can do about it.
It's strange how some symptoms get all the attention, while others are neglected, almost unmentionable. One such unmentionable symptom is that of urinary incontinence in women. The involuntary loss of urine. It's very common and occurs in about 30% of women, but we don't talk about it much. There are all sorts of different causes. Number one, infection in the bladder can cause incontinence, because the bladder wall is irritated by the bacteria that caused the infection. Number two, urgency incontinence happens when you just can't hold the bladder, when it's partly full, without voiding. Number three stress incontinence happens when an increase in pressure within the abdomen, such as you see with coughing or sneezing, gets into the bladder and causes loss of urine. And fourthly, overflow incontinence is caused when the bladder wall is too distended. How do you treat it?
There are lots of different treatments, both surgical and non-surgical. Non-surgical ones include such things as antibiotics for infection, or pills to help improve the strength of the contraction of the bladder, exercises to help the muscles in the area, and sometimes even appliances, medical devices which fit in the area to help support the bladder. Surgery is often used as well, to tighten up the muscles that support the bladder in that area. So if you do have a problem like this, don't be afraid to see your family doctor- mention the unmentionable. If you would like to send a question to Ask the Expert you can either email us at rx@tvo.org or fill out our form.
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