Bladder Leakage

Bladder leakage is a common and distressing problem. It can impact one’s quality of life and it is something no one wants. Bladder leakage, or urinary incontinence(Treatments for Stress Urinary Incontinence), is the leakage of urine or fecal matter (Fecal Matter Wiki Page) from the body. It is often part of an underlying medical condition, but is often under reported by physicians.

Causes of Bladder Leakage

There are many causes to bladder leakage. Some of the most frequent causes are diabetes (Excessive Sugar Consumption Effects), frequent fluid drinking, caffeine (Coffee and Prostate Cancer) or cola drinking, an enlarged prostate, and serious conditions like MS, strokes and spinal cord injuries.

Bladder Leakage Risk Factors

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several risk factors that can increase your chances of suffering with bladder leakage.

• Bladder Leakage Women are more likely than men to have bladder leakage, and pregnancy, menopause (Menopause Causes | Symptoms | Remedies) and childbirth can all account for the increased likelihood. Men with prostate gland problems have a greater chance than other men as well.

• As you get older, the muscles in your bladder lose strength, this then changes how well your bladder can hold the urine without accidentally letting some of it out.

• Overweight (Body Weight | Psyche) people have a higher risk because of increased pressure on the bladder and surrounding muscles, which weakens them and can cause urine to come out if you cough or sneeze.

• Smoking (Smoking Risks, It’s Time to Stop Smoking) is a serious risk factor because a chronic cough can aggravate the incontinence. Smoking also increases the risk of an overactive bladder.

• Kidney disease and diabetes also increases the chances of incontinence.

Bladder Leakage Treatment

If you want to treat the condition, you can do several things. First, you can train your bladder to control the urge. This involves learning to delay urination until you get the urge to go, often holding off going to the bathroom for as much as 10 minutes. You can also schedule toilet trips, and manage your fluid intake by keeping caffeine, alcohol (Alcohol Binge Drinking) and acidic foods out of your diet (Diet & Bladder Cancer).In terms of physical therapy, there are pelvic floor muscle (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Condition) exercises, and you can take medication that will help control the condition. There are also medical devices like urethral inserts that can help with the problem as well.