Urine Leakage Health Feed

There is a prevalent misconception that gynecologists are for women what urologists are for men. But urologists also deal with certain women-related health issues. These include overactive bladder, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary incontinence.

Following are the 5 points which every female should know:

1. Women sometimes pee in their pants too: A majority of the female population between 40 and 60 suffer from either stress incontinence (when you cough, sneeze or laugh) or urgency incontinence (leaking when you want to go badly). Urologists want you to know that there are less invasive options and medications available to treat this problem.
2. Recognize pelvic organ prolapse: This condition is defined by a bit of bladder, rectal, or uterine tissue bulging into your vagina. An urologist can provide non invasive options to deal with this.
3. Age related factors affect both men and women: Right around the time when menopause and andropause strike, changing hormone levels affect the pelvic floor, bladder, urethra and vagina in women causing problems like urinary tract infection and incontinence. These conditions are effectively treated by an urologist who can also probe for underlying conditions like kidney stone, polyp, or tumor in severe cases.
4. An overactive bladder is more common than you think: Around 40% women have to hit the bathroom every hour or so owing to this. Simple lifestyle changes like lowering the intake of caffeine and alcohol, in combination with pelvic floor exercises can solve the problem.
5. Pelvic pain: If it is not gynecology then it is urology. A general pain in the pelvic region triggers a visit to the gynecologist first for most women.From menstrual cramps to ovarian cysts, all of this may well be taken care of by your gynecologist too. But when the usual culprits are not the cause for your discomfort, it's time you get the urology aspect examined thoroughly too.

Bladder prolapse is a condition wherein a woman’s vaginal wall ceases to adequately support the urinary bladder. The front wall of the vagina gives support to the bladder under normal circumstances but when this wall weakens, it allows the bladder to droop and become prolapsed. This can lead to a wide range of medical problems such as urinary difficulties, stress incontinence (leakage of urine while coughing or sneezing), pain and discomfort, etc.

Prolapsed bladders are generally associated with menopause. Also known as cystoceles or fallen bladders, they are categorized into four different types depending on the extent to which the bladder has prolapsed.
Grade 1: This is the mild stage wherein a small portion of the bladder droops into the vagina.
Grade 2: This is the moderate stage in which the bladder droops far enough to reach the opening of the vagina.
Grade 3: This is when the condition becomes severe and the bladder protrudes from the body through the opening of the vagina.
Grade 4: This occurs when the bladder has completely prolapsed. The entire bladder protrudes outside the vagina and is normally associated with other forms of pelvic organ prolapse such as uterine prolapse (the sagging of the uterus from its normal spot) and rectocele (prolapse of the wall between the vagina and the rectum).

What are the causes of prolapsed bladders?
Following are the factors that lead to the condition of prolapsed bladders:

1. Menopause: The vaginal walls are known to become weak upon the onset of menopause. This occurs because the body inhibits the production of oestrogen, the hormone that renders strength to the muscles of the vagina. As a result, the bladder is no longer supported by the vagina.
2. Childbirth: The process of childbirth puts a tremendous amount of stress on the vagina and often leads to deterioration of the muscles of the vaginal wall. This in turn leads to the condition of prolapsed bladder.
3. Straining: Anything that puts strain on the walls of the vagina can lead to this condition. This includes lifting heavy objects, chronic constipation, obesity, excessive coughing and sneezing or any other factor that damages the pelvic floor.

What are the symptoms of a prolapsed bladder?
Symptoms of a prolapsed bladder vary from case to case, depending on the category and extent of the condition. Some of the most commonly experienced symptoms of the condition are as follows:
Tissue sticking out of the vagina (that may be tender and/or bleeding)

1. Frequent urge to urinate
2. Urinary incontinence (unwanted leakage of urine)
3. Pain during urination
4. Pain during sex
5. Frequent urinary tract and bladder infections
6. Pain in the vagina, pelvis, lower abdomen or lower back
7. Incomplete urination

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Stress urinary incontinence is the unintentional loss of urine. It is a disorder causes urine leakage on application of stress pressure upon the body. This means that when you are coughing, lifting heavy weights or involved in other high-pressure activities urine might leak out of the bladder. Although it is not a life-threatening disorder, you have to take appropriate action to cure it. Women are more vulnerable to stress incontinence than men.

Common causes of the disorder Stress Urinary Incontinence

Some of the common causes of Stress Urinary Incontinence in women include urethra infection, taking powerful medicines, pelvic surgery, etc. Some women are more susceptible to the disorder after their childbirth. Prostate surgery is also one of the common causes of the disease in women.

Ways to diagnose the disorder

The effective way to diagnose the stress urinary incontinence in men is through examining their genitals. In women, a doctor can diagnose the disorder through a pelvic test. The rectal examination is also an effective test to diagnose the disorder.

Effective treatment options for the disease

If you are suffering from stress urinary incontinence, you may feel embarrassed, isolate yourself, or limit your work and social life, especially exercise and leisure activities. With treatment, you will be able to manage stress incontinence and improve your overall well-being. The treatment options for stress urinary incontinence mainly count on the impact of the life of a person. You can treat the disorder through taking medicines, changing your lifestyle, surgery, as well as through the Pelvic floor muscle exercise.

1. Medicines: Drugs are suitable to treat the disorder if it is mild. Your family doctor will prescribe one or more drugs to have better control over the medical condition. There are drugs that aids you greatly in relaxing your bladder muscles. The therapy involves the application of cream into their vagina.
2. Lifestyle changes: These changes include drinking the right amount of liquids, avoiding holding the urine, eating fiber-rich foods, quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding some foods, keeping the glucose levels under control, if the patient is suffering from diabetes.
3. Pelvic floor muscle exercise: The exercise will make the muscles in the pelvic floor of the patient stronger. Some of the pelvic floor strengthening exercises include Kegel exercises, Biofeedback, Pelvic floor physical therapy, as well as vaginal cones.
4. Surgery: If any of the above-mentioned treatments do not work, then surgery is the ultimate way to treat stress urinary incontinence. Some of the surgical options include Artificial urinary sphincter, Anterior vaginal repair, Bulking injections, Retropubic suspensions, Male sling, Vaginal sling procedures, and Tension-free vaginal tape.

Whenever the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence trouble you, it is better to contact your family doctor immediately.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

There is a prevalent misconception that gynecologists are for women what urologists are for men. But urologists also deal with certain women-related health issues. These include overactive bladder, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary incontinence.

Following are the 5 points which every female should know:

1. Women sometimes pee in their pants too: A majority of the female population between 40 and 60 suffer from either stress incontinence (when you cough, sneeze or laugh) or urgency incontinence (leaking when you want to go badly). Urologists want you to know that there are less invasive options and medications available to treat this problem.
2. Recognize pelvic organ prolapse: This condition is defined by a bit of bladder, rectal, or uterine tissue bulging into your vagina. An urologist can provide non invasive options to deal with this.
3. Age related factors affect both men and women: Right around the time when menopause and andropause strike, changing hormone levels affect the pelvic floor, bladder, urethra and vagina in women causing problems like urinary tract infection and incontinence. These conditions are effectively treated by an urologist who can also probe for underlying conditions like kidney stone, polyp, or tumor in severe cases.
4. An overactive bladder is more common than you think: Around 40% women have to hit the bathroom every hour or so owing to this. Simple lifestyle changes like lowering the intake of caffeine and alcohol, in combination with pelvic floor exercises can solve the problem.
5. Pelvic pain: If it is not gynecology then it is urology. A general pain in the pelvic region triggers a visit to the gynecologist first for most women.From menstrual cramps to ovarian cysts, all of this may well be taken care of by your gynecologist too. But when the usual culprits are not the cause for your discomfort, it's time you get the urology aspect examined thoroughly too.