Urgency is a word which describes a pressing necessity, like there is a need to do something immediately. It is a normal feeling to have most especially in situations that are of utmost importance. Paying the electricity bill that has been long overdue, or finishing a business report that will be presented during a board meeting --- these are only a few examples of urgent matters that we cannot afford to delay. But if a person feels the urge to pass water, a urinary problem might be involved. Most people need to pass water every three to four hours during the day and up to once or twice in the night. For normal urination, the muscular wall of the bladder has to contract at the same time as a valve mechanism at the outlet of the bladder relaxes.
Urge incontinence is a urinary problem characterized by a sudden uncontrollable urge to urinate and frequent urination. It is often necessary to use the bathroom as frequently as every two hours and bed wetting is common. With urge incontinence, the bladder contracts and squeezes out urine involuntarily. Sometimes a large amount of urine is released.
With urge incontinence, the bladder contracts and squeezes out urine involuntarily. Sometimes a large amount of urine is released. Accidental urination can be triggered by sudden change in position or activity, hearing or touching running water and drinking a small amount of liquid.
Urge incontinence occurs when a person experiences a strong desire to empty the bladder, followed almost immediately by an involuntary loss of urine. People with urge incontinence complain of urgency with little or no warning, and may experience troublesome symptoms such as not reaching the toilet in time, a frequent need to urinate, passing of urine several times during the night, and bedwetting. The volume of urine loss varies from small to large amounts depending on bladder capacity.
The most common cause of urge incontinence is inappropriate bladder contractions. Two bladder abnormalities commonly cause the disorder. The most common is a neurogenic bladder (overactive type), which is caused by brain injury or spinal cord injury or disease that interrupts nerve conduction above the sacrum and results in loss of bladder sensation and motor control.
Medical professionals describe such a bladder as unstable, or overactive. A doctor might call the condition reflex incontinence if it results from overactive nerves controlling the bladder. Urge incontinence can mean that the bladder empties during sleep, after drinking a small amount of water, or when one touches water or hear it running like when someone else is taking a shower or washing dishes.
There are several neurological diseases and disorders associated with a neurogenic bladder, including the following:
Alzheimer's disease
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson's disease
Ruptured intervertebral disk
Stroke
Syphilis
Traumatic brain or upper spinal cord injury
Tumors located in the brain or spinal cord
Urge incontinence can also be cause by a bladder infection. Diabetes can cause excessive production of urine and very frequent trips to the toilet.
Involuntary actions of bladder muscles can occur because of damage to the nerves of the bladder, to the nervous system (spinal cord and brain), or to muscles themselves. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, brain tumors, and other types of that occurs during surgery can harm bladder nerves or muscles.
Other causes for urge incontinence include atrophic vaginitis, diet, caffeine, and carbonated beverages. Spicy foods, and tomato-based foods can also irritate the bladder and cause muscle instability in some patients which can result to urge incontinence. Treatment with bladder retraining often cures the problem. Medication may also be advised to relax the bladder. Advice from a continence advisor is also usually helpful.
2007年12月17日星期一
Stress Incontinence: Among Other Concerns for Women
Does coughing, sneezing, or laughing too much cause you to leak urine? You might be experiencing a urinary problem which is the most common form of incontinence in women. Incontinence is defined as an involuntary loss of urine that is enough to cause a social or hygiene concern. Urine is produced by the kidneys and collected in the bladder, which expands like a balloon as the volume increases. When full, the bladder empties itself by releasing the urine via the urethra. Most people need to pass water every three to four hours during the day and up to once or twice in the night. For normal urination, the muscular wall of the bladder has to contract at the same time as a valve mechanism at the outlet of the bladder relaxes.
However, urine tends to leak most when one coughs, during intense laughter, or when doing exercise such as jumping or running. In these kinds of situations, there is a sudden extra pressure within the abdomen and on the bladder. Urine leaks because the pelvic floor muscles and urethra cannot withstand the extra pressure. The incontinence develops because the pelvic floor muscles are weakened, reducing the person's ability to hold the urine and prevent the leak. Stress incontinence is when urine leaks when there is a sudden extra pressure or stress on the bladder.
Stress incontinence is common in women who have had children and those who are overweight and obese. It is also more common with increasing age as the muscles become weaker, particularly after the menopause. Women experience incontinence two times more often than men. Pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, and the structure of the female urinary tract account for this difference. Stress incontinence can worsen during the week before a woman's menstrual period. During that time, low estrogen levels might lead to lower muscular pressure around the urethra, increasing chances of leakage. The incidence of stress incontinence increases following menopause. By the age of 75, at least 16% of women experience some incontinence, but younger women can also be affected.
If a woman experiences stress incontinence, she may feel embarrassed and distressed by the condition. It often disrupts work, social activities, interpersonal relationships, and even sexual relations. But stress incontinence is a preventable disorder. Healthy lifestyle choices that may reduce the risk or lessen complications of the disorder include a regular exercise routine, weight management, and limited consumption of caffeine and alcohol.
The main treatment which often works well is to do exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic floor exercises may include the use of incontinence-control devices as directed by a physician. In some cases medication may help in addition to exercises if exercises alone do not work. Surgery may also be recommended in order to tighten or support the bladder outlet. Following a doctor's advice is important for managing overactive bladder. Talk to a doctor if the symptoms of stress incontinence interfere with the activities of daily living, such as work, interpersonal relationships, social life and general well-being.
However, urine tends to leak most when one coughs, during intense laughter, or when doing exercise such as jumping or running. In these kinds of situations, there is a sudden extra pressure within the abdomen and on the bladder. Urine leaks because the pelvic floor muscles and urethra cannot withstand the extra pressure. The incontinence develops because the pelvic floor muscles are weakened, reducing the person's ability to hold the urine and prevent the leak. Stress incontinence is when urine leaks when there is a sudden extra pressure or stress on the bladder.
Stress incontinence is common in women who have had children and those who are overweight and obese. It is also more common with increasing age as the muscles become weaker, particularly after the menopause. Women experience incontinence two times more often than men. Pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, and the structure of the female urinary tract account for this difference. Stress incontinence can worsen during the week before a woman's menstrual period. During that time, low estrogen levels might lead to lower muscular pressure around the urethra, increasing chances of leakage. The incidence of stress incontinence increases following menopause. By the age of 75, at least 16% of women experience some incontinence, but younger women can also be affected.
If a woman experiences stress incontinence, she may feel embarrassed and distressed by the condition. It often disrupts work, social activities, interpersonal relationships, and even sexual relations. But stress incontinence is a preventable disorder. Healthy lifestyle choices that may reduce the risk or lessen complications of the disorder include a regular exercise routine, weight management, and limited consumption of caffeine and alcohol.
The main treatment which often works well is to do exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic floor exercises may include the use of incontinence-control devices as directed by a physician. In some cases medication may help in addition to exercises if exercises alone do not work. Surgery may also be recommended in order to tighten or support the bladder outlet. Following a doctor's advice is important for managing overactive bladder. Talk to a doctor if the symptoms of stress incontinence interfere with the activities of daily living, such as work, interpersonal relationships, social life and general well-being.
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