Urinary incontinence
Women don’t have to live with urinary incontinence
At least 25% of women will experience urinary incontinence, meaning that at some point in their lives, they accidentally leak urine. Our Austin and Dripping Springs OBGYNs tell patients that while it may be common, they don’t have to live with leaking urine.
Understanding the types of female incontinence
The two most common types of urinary incontinence in women are stress incontinence and urge incontinence. When a woman has both, it’s called mixed incontinence.
Stress incontinence is leakage of urine when coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercising. In most women, stress incontinence is caused by age and excess weight. Over time, both of these factors weaken the bladder and pelvic floor muscles, leading to urinary leakage.
Urge incontinence is defined by sudden, strong urges to urinate that result in leaking urine. A woman with urge incontinence might experience spasms in the pelvic area or feel as if she’s not able to fully empty her bladder. Overactive bladder is a common cause of urge incontinence, but it can also result from bladder cancer or nerve damage.
The two other types of urinary incontinence are functional incontinence, which is caused by physical limitations such as injury or disability, and overflow incontinence, which is rare in women.
Identifying the cause of leaking urine
Many women, especially those over the age of 50, occasionally leak urine. But when leaking urine is frequent or affects a woman’s quality of life, she may be experiencing incontinence. If a woman has begun changing her daily behavior due to symptoms, it’s time for her to see an OBGYN.
The OBGYN will first take a medical history and perform a pelvic exam. Medical tests, including a urine test, urodynamics, bladder stress test, ultrasound and cystoscopy, may be performed to confirm a diagnosis and identify potential causes.
Reducing symptoms and treating incontinence
How is urinary incontinence treated? The goal of treatment is to restore a woman’s lifestyle and activity level to what it was before she experienced symptoms. Even before her OBGYN appointment, a woman can take proactive steps to improve her symptoms.
Lose weight through diet and exercise to reduce the pressure on the bladder.
Reduce caffeine (less than 16 oz of coffee or tea).
Eliminate artificial sweeteners and diet soft drinks.
Restrict fluid intake at night.
Stop smoking. It can cause bladder cancer and can also irritate the bladder.
Resolve constipation to lessen pressure on the bladder and pelvic floor muscles.
Do pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles.
In addition to lifestyle changes, medical options are available. Treatment options for stress incontinence include a sling procedure and urethral bulking agents. Urge incontinence is often treated using medication for overactive bladder, vaginal estrogen, Botox injections in the bladder, and peripheral nerve stimulation.
Women experiencing urinary incontinence do not have to live with it. Our Austin and Dripping Springs OBGYNs can help you address your symptoms and treat the cause of your incontinence. Contact online or by phone.