My Urinary Incontinence Is Embarrassing: Can You Help?

If you’ve been struggling with urinary incontinence, you’re not alone. Nearly one-third of American adults deal with this frustrating condition. Unfortunately, embarrassment makes many reluctant to talk about it with a medical provider. 

Our compassionate and experienced care team at Urology Associates Medical Group knows how sensitive this topic can be, and they’re equipped to help you navigate it with their years of diagnosing and treating urinary incontinence patients in Burbank, California. 

We’ve put together this guide to explain the details of urinary incontinence and how we can help, so you don’t need to feel embarrassed by your condition any longer. 

Who gets urinary incontinence? 

Both men and women can suffer from urinary incontinence, but the condition is twice as common in women. Half of adult women deal with urinary incontinence, and the number rises with age. 

Researchers believe women experience urinary incontinence more than men because the reproductive life cycle of women is harder on the urethra, bladder, and muscles that support these organs. 

In addition, women have a shorter urethra than men, so there’s less muscle to help retain urine. 

That said, about 3.4 million American men have urinary incontinence. And no matter your gender, the condition is a source of embarrassment. Both men and women can benefit from professional medical help in managing incontinence. 

Is urinary continence ever normal?

While you might think that urinary incontinence is a normal part of aging, the truth is that it isn’t. You’re more likely to experience urinary incontinence as you get older, but this condition is a sign of one or more underlying issues unrelated to age. 

The underlying issue influences which type of urinary incontinence you have. By determining which type of incontinence you’re struggling with, we can identify the underlying issue and recommend the best treatment. 

What are the types of incontinence?

Each type of incontinence, including overactive bladder (OAB), comes from different underlying causes. Here’s a look at the different types of incontinence.  

Functional incontinence

Functional incontinence is temporary and usually occurs when there’s a temporary condition affecting your ability to use the toilet on time. This could be certain medications, an injury, or an active urinary tract infection.

Overflow incontinence

When you drip or leak urine without even realizing you need to go, it’s called overflow incontinence. This type makes it difficult to completely empty your bladder or hold all the urine your body produces. 

With overflow incontinence, you might notice leaks after you’ve already used the bathroom. You might also get up multiple times at night to urinate. 

Stress incontinence

Stress incontinence occurs when the muscles that support your urethra and bladder are weakened. This means that any pressure or stress on your bladder ends up in leakage. 

While stress incontinence is especially common for women post-pregnancy, both men and women can experience stress incontinence. Exercising, coughing, sneezing, or laughing might cause you to leak urine.

Overactive bladder

Overactive bladder is also known as urge incontinence and affects up to 33 million American adults. It consists of strong, sudden urges to urinate. Sometimes the urges to urinate are so strong that you leak urine even on an empty bladder. 

OAB occurs when the detrusor muscle, the muscle that controls your bladder, develops a problem. When the detrusor contracts before your bladder is full, it sends a signal to your body to urinate even though you don’t need to. 

Mixed urinary incontinence

Sometimes multiple underlying issues lead to you experiencing multiple types of urinary incontinence. We can assess your symptoms and may diagnose you with mixed urinary incontinence. 

Is there help for my urinary incontinence? 

We know the embarrassment that urinary incontinence of any type can bring. Fortunately, effective treatments are available. The first step is making an appointment with a bladder specialist, like those on our team. 

Following your assessment, we develop a personalized urinary incontinence treatment plan. Your treatment options depend on the type of urinary incontinence you have and your specific medical history. Treatments may include:

• Medications
• Regular Kegel exercises 
• Bladder training
• Bladder injections
• Nerve stimulation therapy
• Surgery 

Are you tired of being embarrassed by urinary incontinence? Schedule an appointment with us at Urology Associates Medical Group in Burbank, California, today.