Myths and Facts about Urinary Incontinence

One of the most common causes of emotional distress for adults is a lack of control over their bladder.

This can be especially difficult for women, who already have to deal with several societal issues about their normal bodily functions.

This article will discuss some of the most common myths about this condition that are untrue and need to be busted.

Urinary incontinence is observed only in older adults and the elderly

False: Urinary incontinence can affect people of all ages and genders. However, older women are more susceptible to developing it because they’re more likely to suffer from diseases such as diabetes and dementia.

Urinalysis is not necessary when treating urinary incontinence

False: A doctor needs to rule out any other possible causes of the condition before treating it. A urinalysis is a good way to do this and may be recommended by your doctor if they think you have an infection or another medical condition, such as diabetes.

Constipation, diarrhea, and straining during bowel movements can contribute to urinary incontinence.

True: Any of these conditions can cause the muscles around your bladder, called your pelvic floor muscles, to weaken and become less effective. This is more common in women than men because of pregnancy’s strains on this area of a woman’s body.

A person who leaks urine has normal bladder function

False: There are many reasons why a person may experience leakage of urine. Sometimes, the bladder muscle itself may not be functioning properly because it’s become too weak or damaged by disease, surgery, or trauma.

Weak pelvic floor muscles are to blame for urinary incontinence

False: Even people with strong pelvic floor muscles can suffer from incontinence if there is a problem with how their brain or nervous system is controlling these muscles.

The only way to treat urinary incontinence is with surgery

False: There are several medical treatments available today that can help a person manage their condition. These include bladder training, pelvic floor exercises, drug therapy, and electrical stimulation.

Just because you leak urine doesn’t mean you have an underlying medical condition

False: Urinary incontinence is one of the symptoms of a medical problem. Your doctor will need to rule out the possibility that an underlying medical condition may be causing your urinary incontinence before approving you for surgery with implants.

Exercises are the best way to deal with urinary incontinence

False: Kegel exercises or pelvic floor exercises can help treat incontinence but this is only one part of the treatment process. If you have a problem with your bladder muscles, this may not be enough to deal with the issue fully.

Newer therapies and treatments may be needed. In this case, treatments like the Emsella system, which uses high-frequency electromagnetic stimulation, may be the easiest and most effective non-surgical treatment for urinary incontinence with no downtime.

There’s no way for a woman to prevent urinary incontinence

False: You can reduce your risk by keeping your weight under control, exercising regularly, and not smoking.

Patients too embarrassed to discuss incontinence with their doctor should keep quiet

False: Millions of Americans suffer from urinary incontinence. Just because you’re embarrassed doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t seek treatment for it. This condition can seriously affect your quality of life if you don’t get help with it.

False: Some of the muscles that control urinary leakage are involuntary muscles. They cannot actively be controlled but could be strengthened with training.

If you only leak urine with activity, then you’re not experiencing incontinence

False: Many types of incontinence can affect both men and women. Stress urinary incontinence is one of the most common types when increased pressure, such as coughing or sneezing, causes leaked urine.

There are no health risks associated with incontinence

False: Untreated incontinence can cause various medical problems, including urinary tract infections, skin rashes due to leakage into clothing, and even depression.

Just because you leak urine when you cough or sneeze doesn’t mean that it’s stress incontinence

True: Stress urinary incontinence is caused by weakness in the muscles of your pelvic floor. It should not be confused with urge incontinence, which occurs when the bladder muscle contracts too strongly and causes leakage.

Urinary incontinence doesn’t affect your quality of life

False: If you’re leaking urine, even if it’s just a small amount, it can affect your quality of life. It may make you feel embarrassed or less confident. This can affect your job or social life depending upon how much you need to be concerned about this issue.

Treatment for urinary incontinence only has to be done surgically

False: Several medical therapies can help you deal with incontinence. These include medications, electrical stimulation, bladder training exercises, and drug therapy.

There’s no difference between stress urinary incontinence and urge incontinence

False: Stress urinary incontinence occurs when increased pressure causes the muscles around the bladder to spasm and leak urine. Urge incontinence occurs when the bladder muscle contracts too strongly and leaks urine before you can reach a bathroom.

Patients should not drink liquids at all to prevent urinary incontinence

False: There are several ways to deal with your condition, including medications, electrical stimulation, bladder training exercises, and drug therapy. These are effective in controlling incontinence without causing dehydration or other health problems.

If you have stress urinary incontinence, it will stop when you get older

False: The most common cause of this condition is childbirth. Even if you haven’t had children, being overweight can also weaken your pelvic floor muscles. This means that even growing older will not completely resolve the issue for most people if they experience stress urinary incontinence.

There are no medications to treat stress urinary incontinence

False: Several types of medication can help control your condition, including different kinds of anticholinergics, estrogen therapy, and desmopressin acetate.

How Prime MD Plus can help

Urinary incontinence is not a problem for women only; men can suffer from this condition as well.

Prime MD Plus offers comprehensive evaluations and treatment for men with urinary incontinence.

Our board-certified geriatrician will work with you to determine the underlying cause of your urine leakage and develop a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs.

In many cases, simple lifestyle changes can reduce or even eliminate bladder irritation and leakage.

However, if more aggressive treatment is necessary, we offer a variety of options that can provide lasting relief.

Don’t suffer in silence; call Prime MD Plus today to schedule an appointment.

Conclusion

There are many myths about urinary incontinence but regardless, it is important to see a medical professional if it is affecting your quality of life.

If you think that an underlying medical condition or urinary tract infection (UTI) is causing an overactive bladder, they can refer you for treatment after ruling out other possibilities.

If there’s no other medical reason behind your incontinence, they may recommend non-invasive treatments like Emsella.

If you are suffering from urinary incontinence, why wait? Prime MD Plus provides professional medical help in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to improve urinary incontinence, non-invasively, with or without medication.

To learn more about urinary incontinence treatments and the conditions we treat, check out primemdplus.com to request an appointment.