Urinary incontinence is one of the most often untreated diseases in France. What are the causes, symptoms and treatment options for a weak bladder and why is it especially common in postmenopausal women.
About ten million French people suffer from urinary incontinence, better known as bladder weakness – and even about two-thirds of all postmenopausal women. Very few affected people dare to speak openly about the disease. Despite its frequency of occurrence, urinary incontinence is one of the diseases in France that is rarely treated by a doctor – only a doctor can help bring the unpleasant problem under control.
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What is the difference between urinary incontinence and bladder weakness?
Urinary incontinence is characterized by the involuntary loss of urine. The terms Bladder weakness or weak bladder used in common parlance describe the same problem. However, the terms are misleading because the bladder is often not the trigger for the involuntary loss of urine.
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Detect urinary incontinence
People with weak bladders cannot hold urine or notice it leaking. This can be the case when moving, but also when standing or lying down.
Although the risk of developing Urinary Incontinence increases with age, the finely tuned system of bladder, nerves and muscles can be thrown out of balance at a young age, for example after an accidenta infection or a pregnancy. The situation in which urine is excreted involuntarily and the amount of fluid lost depends on the type of urinary incontinence.
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The 6 Types of Bladder Weakness and Their Causes
Uncontrolled urination can have very different reasons. Depending on the cause, a distinction is made between stress incontinence, urge incontinence and mixed incontinence – the three most common forms of urinary incontinence – as well as overflow incontinence, incontinence reflex, extraurethral incontinence and enuresis ornocturnal enuresis. Additionally, medications, genetic predisposition, or being overweight can also trigger bladder weakness.
1. Stress incontinence, occurs as soon as the pressure on the abdomen is increased. This may be the case during physical exertion, for example lifting or carrying heavy objectsbut also during sneezingof the cough or to laugh. Whether affected individuals lose only a few drops or a whole stream of urine depends on the individual. In most cases, however, the cause of stress incontinence is a weakened pelvic floor. This complex network of connective tissue and muscle fibers closes the abdominal cavity and the organs it contains from below. In women, the pelvic floor is a natural weak point, because pregnancy and childbirth solicit the muscles. But also operations, nerve damage or a chronic cough (e.g. Smokers’ cough) can weaken the pelvic floor and weaken the bladder.
2. Urge incontinence is characterized by a sudden and excessive need to urinate even though the bladder is not properly filled. The need to empty the bladder may occur several times per hour – and often those affected do not go to the toilet in time. Urine usually comes out as a spurt. Causes of overactive bladder can range from nerve damage to bladder stones and from neurological disease to urinary tract infections or diabetic sugar.
3. In mixed incontinencesymptoms of stress and urge incontinence appear.
4. We are talking about overflow incontinence when smaller amounts of urine are constantly given – the bladder practically overflows. The cause of this form of bladder weakness is that the bladder cannot empty properly due to nerve damage or an obstacle, such asa fibroid in the uterus Where a collapsed uterus.
5. If affected people do not feel that their bladder is full, it is calledreflex incontinence. This is mainly due to a disorder of the nerves that control the bladder, which often occurs in association with diseases such as Parkinson diseasethe dementia or one stroke.
6. In case of extraurethral incontinence, the cause lies outside the bladder – for example, if a fistula has formed an unnatural connecting channel between the bladder and the vagina or bowel. Urine can then be constantly lost without the affected person being able to influence it.
Bladder weakness and menopause
Urinary incontinence is one of the most common consequences of hormonal changes in women during menopause…
In addition to symptoms such as hot flashesmood swings or sleeping troubles, urinary incontinence is one of the most common consequences of hormonal changes in women during menopause. Because when the ovaries slowly but surely stop working at the onset of menopause, estrogen level dropsthe muscles relax and the connective tissue that supports the bladder becomes drier and less elastic. As a result, the pelvic organs can sink and cause stress incontinence.
Prevent and treat urinary incontinence
The forms and causes of urinary incontinence are diverse, so there is no general therapy or prevention methods. It is all the more important for those affected to talk to a doctor about their complaints – and not hide important details out of shame. In order to control the disease, the following measures to prevent, diagnose and treat bladder weakness are essential:
Pelvic floor training
With targeted exercises, the pelvic floor can be strengthened and countered urinary incontinence. Since pelvic floor exercises are only effective if performed correctly, you should have an expert show you the exercises at least once.
Exercise for bladder weakness
Relaxing workouts like yoga and Pilatesbut also endurance exercises such as walking or swimming can help people with bladder weakness develop essential muscles. If you suffer from urinary incontinence, you should not play sports that put a strain on the pelvic floor, such as tennis or squash.
voiding diary
In a urination diary, affected people note over several days how often, at what time and in what quantities they emptied their bladder – but also the amount of liquids they consumed and the incontinence products they have used. This toilet diary can be used to determine if there are certain patterns when bladder weakness occurs and if it could be a stress-related disorder, for example.
Incontinence products
It takes a lot of effort to use incontinence pads, disposable briefs, diapers or special bed protectors for many people. These aids can quickly ensure a safer feeling and more well-being in everyday life. However, women who suffer from urinary incontinence should not use normal sanitary napkins – they cannot absorb enough liquid, retain the smell of urine or keep the skin dry.
Medication
In consultation with a doctor, preparations containing active ingredients such as duloxetine and anticholinerics which reduce bladder activity can also help with urinary incontinence.
Estrogen therapy
In postmenopausal women, reduced production of the female sex hormone estrogen is usually the cause of urinary incontinence. Targeted hormone therapy, which should always be done in consultation with a gynecologist or other specialist, can also be used as a treatment for bladder weakness.
Surgery
If all other treatment methods fail, surgery can help. In the case of stress incontinence, for example, a small strip of plastic can be placed under the urethra through an incision in the vagina, which supports it and restores bladder function. Or a plastic mesh is implanted under the urethra and bladder to stabilize the pelvic floor and prevent uncontrolled urinary leakage.
