About 25 million adults in the United States suffer with urinary incontinence, with up to 80 percent of them being women. This might not be too surprising, considering the fact that weakened pelvic muscles due to pregnancy and childbirth is a primary cause of urinary incontinence. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, urinary tract infections and constipation are other common causes for this condition.
There are also certain types of incontinence, which includes stress incontinence, urge incontinence, and overflow incontinence. While incontinence is usually thought of a condition that affects only seniors, about 24% of women diagnosed with incontinence are between the ages of 18 and 44.
Too Embarrassed to Seek Treatment
No matter how old the woman is, what the cause is, or the type of incontinence they have, many women do not seek treatment right away when they have incontinence. On average, women suffer with the condition for over 6 years before going to their doctor to discuss treatment options. Even women who say their incontinence is a major problem for them, either wait to see a doctor, or don’t see one at all.
Because women are too embarrassed to tell their doctor, many of them choose to manage the condition themselves by either drinking less fluid, wearing dark clothing, or wearing pads or adult briefs. In some instances, adult briefs or diapers may be necessary, especially for those who have heavy incontinence or who are bed-ridden, due to illness or disability. For others, however, there are other treatment options available.
Treatment Options for Incontinence
In order to effectively treat incontinence, it’s important for women to see their doctor about it. Once the type of incontinence is known, a doctor can provide the correct form of treatment. For some women, using certain behavioral techniques can be effective. This includes bladder training, scheduled trips to the bathroom, and cutting back on alcohol and caffeine. Doing pelvic floor muscle exercises and taking certain medications can also be used to treat incontinence.
There are also certain medical devices, such as urethral inserts and pessaries that can help prevent leakage. For some women, surgery may be necessary. Certain types of incontinence surgeries, such as tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) and retropubic suspension, helps improve urinary incontinence for 8 out of 10 women. Losing weight and quitting smoking can increase the success rates of these surgical procedures.
