Saturday, February 28, 2015

Less Intrusive Urinary Incontinence Treatment

By Olivia Cross


Few people are able to speak up about the urinary incontinence due to its embarrassing nature. The problem was common in the old a while back but now affects people across different age groups on both genders. Over three quarters of those who seek urinary incontinence treatment are women.

Different interventions are made by doctors depending on the type and severity of your urinary incontinence. The urologist may suggest performing a surgery, prescribe some drugs or teach you some exercises for bladder training and strengthen muscles at the pelvic. There are several conservative treatments available for the problem. However, if the cause of the incontinence is another ailment, you have to be treated for the ailment prior or along with treatment for incontinence. Common conditions that cause incontinence include fistula, which is a tear in the uterus due to prolonged labor during childbirth and enlargement of prostrate gland in men.

Lifestyle changes are one of the conservative treatments that do not involve any medical intervention whatever. The doctor may suggest that drop some behaviors and adopt better ones to improve the situation. You may also be forced to lower the amount of fluids you take on a daily basis to lower urine production in your body.

Intake of lots of fluids containing caffeine also leads to production of large amounts of urine in the body. Caffeine is a major ingredient in many energy drinks, cola and coffee. One may be advised to limit the intake of such drinks. Research has also shown the obesity affects the proper functioning of pelvic floor muscles. If the patient is overweight, he may be advised on ways of cutting on weight to improve his health.

There are muscles at the pelvic area that control the passage of urine. They are found around the urethra and the bladder and keep the passage shut until one is ready to urinate. If they get weak or some condition damages them, they may be strengthened by a therapy. The therapy involves physical contraction of the muscles by a patient. It is performed at least thrice a day with at least eight contractions every session. The progress of patient is monitored by the doctor and program adjusted accordingly.

If the exercise above does not improve your situation, electrical stimulation may be beneficial. The procedure is done by inserting a small probe in the vagina for women and anus for men. The device measures and lets out small pulses of currents in the muscles to help them contract. The procedure works well with other muscle exercises. Many find it a bit unpleasant but it has good results.

Patients with urge incontinence take up bladder training as the primary treatment. The training helps lengthen the period that one would urinate after feeling the urge. It takes six weeks to complete it.

Women with weak floor muscles at the pelvic can also benefit from vaginal cones. These are small weights inserted into the vagina and supported by the muscles. A sign of improvement is the ability to hold heavier weights. This therapy is very effective on stress incontinence.




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