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Incontinence

© Gretchen Malik

Many think that urinary incontinence is solely an older person's problem. While it is true that loss of urinary control is more common in the elderly, this condition strikes a surprising number of younger people as well. In fact, approximately twenty-five percent of women age thirty to fifty-nine have had at least one episode of urine leakage.

This condition can be improved. The first step is admitting you have a problem. Here are some signs to look for: do you push, strain, or feel pain while urinating; do you awake more than twice a night to urinate; does your urine leaking keep you from daily activities; do you feel as if your bladder is not completely empty after voiding; or do you urinate when you shouldn't because you don't feel any sensation that signals your bladder is full.

Now that you have this information, the second step is to contact your doctor if you have any of these symptoms. Your family doctor may refer you to an internist for a diagnosis and treatment. To help, try and keep track of fluid intake, episodes of incontinence, and any triggering actions (sneezing or exercise). This will help your doctor pin down your trouble.

There are many causes of incontinence and they vary widely. Incontinence can be caused by stress (pressure on the abdomen by sneezing, coughing, lifting, laughing, or exercising), urge (a condition which bladder muscles contract involuntarily), or mixed (elements of both stress and urge).

For more information, you can call the American Urological Association toll-free at 1-877-DRY-LIFE (379-5433) or the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-891-5388.

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