Stress urinary incontinence is easily identified when involuntary loss of urine occurs when making an effort such as coughing, laughing, sneezing or lifting heavy objects, for example.
This usually happens when the pelvic floor muscles and the urinary sphincter are weak and is therefore more common in the elderly. However, problems with the spinal column or brain that can alter the signals sent to the muscles can also be the cause of this type of incontinence.
Often, people with this problem end up isolating themselves and avoiding social interactions as they are afraid of smelling urine. However, there are some forms of treatment that help to reduce the frequency of incontinence episodes and may even stop the involuntary loss of urine.
What can cause incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence occurs when a weakening of the sphincter or muscles that hold the bladder appears, and this can have some causes such as:
- Multiple deliveries: women who have gone through labor several times may have more dilated and injured pelvic muscles, making it difficult for the sphincter to contain urine in the bladder; Obesity: excess weight causes more pressure on the bladder, making it easier for urine to escape; Prostate surgery: men who had to remove their prostate are at increased risk of stress incontinence because during surgery small sphincter or sphincter nerves injuries can occur, reducing their ability to close and hold urine.
In addition, people with diseases that can cause frequent coughing or sneezing also have an increased risk of incontinence, especially with aging, as the muscles weaken and are not able to compensate for the pressure on the bladder. The same is true in the case of high-impact sports such as running or jumping rope, for example.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence can be made by a general practitioner or urologist by assessing the symptoms. However, some tests such as ultrasound of the bladder can also be done to assess the amount of urine when the episode of urine loss occurs, facilitating the choice of a form of treatment.
How the treatment is done
There is no specific treatment for stress urinary incontinence, and the doctor can choose several forms of treatment, such as:
- Kegel exercises: can be done daily to strengthen the pelvic floor, reducing the frequency of incontinence episodes. See how to do this type of exercises; Decrease the amount of water ingested: it should be calculated with the doctor to avoid excessive formation of urine, but without causing dehydration of the body; Do bladder training: it consists of making appointments to go to the bathroom in order to accustom the bladder to emptying at the same time, avoiding involuntary losses.
In addition, making some dietary changes can also help in cases of incontinence. Watch a video of our nutritionist about food in these cases:
Although there are no drugs specifically approved for incontinence, some doctors may recommend the use of antidepressants, such as Duloxetine, which reduce stress and anxiety, reducing the contraction of abdominal muscles and relieving pressure on the bladder.
Another option for cases that do not improve with any of the techniques is to have surgery for incontinence in which the doctor repairs and strengthens the pelvic muscles. Find out more about this type of surgery and when to do it.
