What You Should Know About Urinary Incontinence

When you lose control of your bladder, it can lead to leakage of urine, a condition known as urinary incontinence. Sometimes you may empty your bladder and, at times, experience a small leakage. Depending on its cause, urinary incontinence may be chronic or temporary. Most adults suffer from this condition, and because of stigma, many choose to go silent, fearing embarrassment, or think there is no solution to the problem. Urinary incontinence is not only a medical issue but can also affect your psychological, emotional, and social life. This can affect your daily activities and prevent you from enjoying your everyday life. Your specialists of urinary incontinence in Naperville have years of experience and advanced technology for diagnosis and provide the right treatment for your condition.

How is urinary incontinence diagnosed?

When you visit specialists at Chicago Center for Women’s Health or other urology clinic, the doctor will need to know the type of urinary inconsistency you are suffering from and the symptoms. This will help the doctor to determine the right treatment for you. The doctor will begin with a physical examination and the history of your health. The doctor can then ask you to perform simple actions to determine the presence of urinary inconsistency. The doctor might then recommend tests such as:

Urinalysis: This procedure entails evaluating your urine to determine infections in the kidney, urinary tract, and disorders such as diabetes. Urinalysis entails testing the appearance, concentration, and urine content to determine any abnormalities which may signal infections.

Analysis of the bladder: A process known as bladder diary is done. This process evaluates the amounts of drinks intake, time of urination, part of urine production, urges to urinate, and the number of inconsistencies. This will help the doctor understand your condition.

Post-void residual test: This test involves measuring the amount of urine left in your bladder after urination. This test helps in checking the incontinence, problems in urination, and if the prostate is enlarged. Here, the doctor asks you to urinate in a container that tests the output of urine. Then the doctor uses a catheter or ultrasound scanning to check the amount of urine in your bladder. A significant amount of urine left in your bladder may indicate a problem with your bladder or urinary tract.

How is urinary incontinence treated?

The treatment for urinary incontinence depends on the type, cause, and severity. Its treatment may require various approaches, and if a doctor finds out that there is an underlying cause, that  will need to be treated first. The doctor will also recommend the least invasive approaches before moving to other treatment options if the first ones fail.

The doctor will also recommend behavioral approaches such as bladder training by delaying urination when the urge comes, double voiding, timed trips to the toilet, and managing diet and fluids. The doctor may also recommend exercising the pelvic floor muscles and electrical stimulation. There are also medications such as topical estrogen and Myrbetriq, among others. Medical devices and interventional therapies may also be used to treat this condition. Urinary incontinence is a significant problem that can affect your quality of life. Visit a specialist to get more opportunities for the treatment of urinary incontinence and improve your health. To prevent this disease, lead a healthy lifestyle such as avoiding smoking, maintain a healthy weight, exercising the pelvic floor, and avoid acidic foods, caffeine, alcohol and other substances that irritate the bladder.