Symptoms and Treatments for Urinary incontinence in Dallas Fort Worth

Urinary bladder problems in elderly individuals are most commonly manifested as urinary incontinence. Though it is a condition that can affect anyone, it is most commonly observed in men over 60 and women over 50.

Although relatively common, urinary incontinence is not something that is regularly discussed. It can be embarrassing and might cause you to be isolated from others. However, contrary to popular belief, it can be easily treated over a period of time.

The accidental or involuntary loss of urine from the body can be described as urinary incontinence. It is a urinary bladder problem and primarily involves abnormalities with the bladder itself or the surrounding muscles.

The bladder usually stores urine as waste material until it is expelled from the body. The muscles around the bladder tighten to allow urine into the urethra, and the urethral muscles relax to let urine out of the body.

Urinary incontinence, if left unchecked, can cause skin infections and pressure sores. So if you are experiencing urinary incontinence, you should get in touch with a medical professional.

Urinary incontinence may occur when the muscles around the bladder tighten, or the urethral muscles relax without warning.

Urinary incontinence in men

The prostate gland and related factors mainly cause male urinary incontinence:

• Prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate gland, can cause urinary inconsistency
• Damage or injury to the nerves or muscles around the urinary bladder
• Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) is the abnormal enlargement of the prostate gland

Urinary incontinence in women

Urinary incontinence in women can result from various reasons, ranging from UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections)), vaginal injuries, infections, constipation, or even a side-effect of certain medications.

Other than these factors, aging is also a natural cause of urinary incontinence. Aging takes away your biological control over your urination process and dramatically limits your bladder’s capacity to store urine.

Symptoms of urinary incontinence in the elderly

Urinary incontinence is usually marked by the occasional loss of urine in small amounts. It can, however, take a more severe form with a more frequent loss of urine in significant quantities.

Depending on its frequency, intensity, and cause, some common urinary incontinence symptoms are listed below:

Stress incontinence

Stress incontinence is one of the common types of urinary incontinence. If you suffer from stress incontinence, you will most likely pass urine while sneezing, laughing, coughing, talking, or engaging in other activities that exert pressure on the bladder.

Stress incontinence usually occurs in small amounts when the body’s abdominal region experiences pressure from the abovementioned activities.

Urine flows out of the urethra if the bladder muscles are not able to resist the abdominal pressure. Stress incontinence is more frequently observed in women than men.

Urge incontinence

Urge incontinence is common in individuals with diabetes or other neurological disorders, causing an uncontrollable urge to urinate, which cannot be overcome.

This is followed by a significant loss of urine in moderate to large amounts.

People suffering from urge incontinence often do not have enough time to get to the restroom, resulting in “accidents.” You may experience urge incontinence throughout the day. However, it may be the most troublesome when it occurs at night; an issue called nocturia.

Urge incontinence in the elderly is often persistent and may present with a combination of problems with frequency, urgency, and the amount of urine passed.

Overflow incontinence

The person faces a continuous loss or dribbling of urine, which can denote bladder problems. Common causes include blockages of the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body), tumors, infections, or weak bladder muscles.

Other than these, a person can experience a combination of stress and urge incontinence, which may require medical attention.

Treatment of urinary incontinence in elderly

Urinary incontinence treatment and diagnosis are pretty straightforward. You should seek medical attention if you experience frequent urinary incontinence, affecting your everyday life.

A medical professional can perform a complete history and examination and provide the appropriate treatment.

Doctors can rely on physical examination to diagnose urinary incontinence. Rectal examination and examination of stool samples can help determine constipation as a possible cause of urinary incontinence.

Tests for nerve damage and injury can reveal the nature and cause of the incontinence. A prostate examination might be necessary for males if the doctor feels it is a reason behind the incontinence.

For women, a pelvic exam can be helpful for proper diagnosis.

Exceptional cases might require separate tests during urination to identify the problem. However, urinary incontinence is not lethal and is treatable with the use of therapies and medications.

The treatment process also includes creating awareness about the condition and following precautions. To know more about urinary incontinence, you should know more about bladder and bowel function.

Further, you can also reduce the impact of urinary incontinence by limiting caffeinated drinks or fluids that can worsen the problem. Regular exercises like kegel and other pelvic floor exercises are also helpful.

A newer treatment for urinary incontinence has emerged. Non-surgical treatment options 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.

How Prime MD Plus can help

Prime MD Plus is a medical clinic that can help evaluate and treat urinary incontinence.

Our board-certified geriatrician will evaluate various issues related to abnormalities of bladder function.

Male or female urinary incontinence can be caused by many things including bladder-neck dysfunction, infections, and constipation.

With the help of our geriatrician, we can help you get back to living your life without worrying about incontinence.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Conclusion

Urinary incontinence can be embarrassing and disrupt the lives of you and your loved ones. It can have a detrimental effect on your career, personal life, and relationships.

But there is nothing to worry about, for urinary incontinence in the elderly is treatable with a combination of exercise and therapy.

Regular kegel exercises and other pelvic floor muscle exercises can be effective against urinary incontinence.

If you are suffering from bladder control issues like overactive bladder and stress urinary incontinence, Prime MD Plus provides professional medical help in the Dallas Fort Worth area 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.