Scores of women are known to suffer from the problem of urinary leakage. In this medical condition, the urine leaks accidentally. The urinary incontinence condition is of two types:
Stress Incontinence: In this condition a woman is unable to control urine while sneezing, coughing, lifting, or exercising.
Urgency Incontinence: In this type of condition, a woman has a strong compulsion to urinate as well as leaks urine before making it to the bathroom. It is similar to overactive bladder wherein a person has an abrupt strong need to urinate and is able to hold urine with an overactive bladder.
What Urinary Leakage Causes in Women?
Causes of urinary leakage female include:
- Stretch in the pelvic floor muscles due to:
- Obesity/Weight Gain
- Childbirth
- Chronic cough due to smoking
- Involuntarily contraction of bladder muscle
- Irritation in the urinary bladder
- Brain conditions, including stroke or Parkinson’s disease, etc.
- Emotional stress
- Overactive bladder
Treatment for Urinary Incontinence in Females
Listed below are some of the recommended ways of curing urinary incontinence in women:
- Lifestyle Modification: Often, doctors advise to make appropriate changes in the lifestyle, such as:
- Weight Loss
- Fluid Management, i.e., reducing the fluid consumption in a day and drink an appropriate amount of fluid at fixed intervals all through the day.
- Reduce alcoholic, carbonated, and caffeinated drinks
- Prevent constipation
- Kegel Exercise: This exercise is known to strengthen the pelvic muscles and hence controls urine leakage.
- Regular Exercise: Following a healthy exercise routine can support your urethra, thereby preventing sudden leakages. For instance, bladder training can prove effective in training your bladder to sustain more urine.
- Vaginal Pessaries: It’s a flexible device created from silicone to help reduce the urine incontinence.
- Medications: A number of urinary leakage medications are available in the market to cure urinary incontinence in females. Consult your physician to understand an appropriate option for yourself.
- Surgery: If you are striving to seek the best cure for the stress urinary incontinence, go for urinary leakage surgery. Even though some surgeries involve risks and certain chances of failure, they offer the highest and permanent cure for this medical condition.
- Other therapies: It includes:
- Acupuncture
- Botulinum toxin A
- Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation
- Sacral neuromodulation
- Sanitary Pads
Whichever method is chosen by a person, it is imperative to keep the skin dry and free from odour. Furthermore, if the skin is continuously exposed to urine, it may potentially develop infection or skin burns. Using zinc-based products may be helpful to protect the skin from such risks.