July 12, 2021
Incontinence Meaning
If you find yourself frequently experiencing incontinence, you're not alone. As many as 1 in 3 adults suffer from the problem, and 1 in 5 have had at least one episode of involuntary urine leakage.
This post explores the definition of incontinence, what can cause it – such as childbirth or a UTI – and what steps can be taken to treat it – from lifestyle changes and medication to surgery. There's also a list of resources for finding more information on the condition if you need it!
No matter how stressed out we are, we all want to feel alive. It's rewarding when life brings challenges like handling stress with ease or feeling the energy that comes with mastering a new skill.
But it's also scary to feel overwhelmed. You try to hang on, but suddenly, you're off balance, and everything feels like it's crashing down. For some people with incontinence, this feeling is overwhelming. It can seem impossible to feel at ease – or even alive – without feeling that uncomfortable sensation in the back of your throat or under your arms.
"The word 'incontinence' can mean more than just a few wet accidents, It can also mean feeling uncomfortable regularly, such as having to wear pads or other protection more than you'd like.
No matter what you're experiencing, there are ways to take control of your health and feel more confident about yourself.
What is incontinence?
The definition of incontinence may vary depending on who you ask. For example, your sister may define it as the process of getting rid of something. Your mom may call it something else entirely. But the medical definition is: "involuntary loss of urine from the bladder or bowel. This can occur during normal conditions, or it can be due to illness or injury."
Incontinence is a condition that affects many men and women in some way. But it's not always the thing we hear about. If someone talks about their "incontinence" on Facebook, it may be embarrassing or even offensive. The same is true if you want to talk about incontinence at work or school. People may think you're negative or undiagnosed.
The fact is that incontinence is more than just a few accidents. This condition has many symptoms, but most people associate it with leaking urine.
"Many people have misconceptions about incontinence," says Schulman. "They think of urinary tract infections and bladder infections, which can be serious, but equally complex issues."
And although incontinence can indeed be caused by conditions such as bladder or kidney stones or a UTI, he adds that this is not the whole picture. It can also be caused by other issues, such as childbirth and surgery.
What causes incontinence?
It's essential to understand the causes of incontinence because that can help you find solutions. Typically, there are two main categories: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic is a condition caused from within – such as a UTI or bladder or kidney stones. On the other hand, extrinsic is an outside source like a medical condition or event (such as childbirth).
Incontinence of urine can occur after childbirth due to the physical demands placed on the bladder during pregnancy and labour. "However, many women do not experience incontinence in the post-partum period," says Schulman. "This can be due to vaginismus and pelvic floor muscle spasms."
There are several types of incontinence, and some are more common than others. If you are experiencing incontinence, it's essential to understand what type you have so you can take the appropriate steps toward treatment.
1. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) – The most common form is stress urinary incontinence, which affects as many as 80 per cent of women after childbirth. Symptoms include leaks when coughing, sneezing or laughing.
2. Overflow incontinence – This type of incontinence occurs when the toilet bowl is full or if you have a lot of gas in your digestive system and let it go, causing a full bladder.
3. Urge urinary incontinence – This condition happens when there's a sudden urge to urinate that can't be resisted, like an urgent feeling to go to the bathroom quickly before you leave someone's home.
4. Mixed incontinence – Some people experience urinary incontinence due to a condition other than childbirth, including pregnancy, diabetes or accidents.
5. Incontinence in children – It's estimated that one in four children ages 6-12 has urinary incontinence.
6. Overactive bladder – This type can be treated with medication and lifestyle changes, similar to what you'd do for stress urinary incontinence. It can also be treated with surgery, usually during a surgical procedure known as an SUI procedure. In most cases, the problem will go away without any complications if adequately managed.
What are the symptoms of incontinence?
There's more to experiences of incontinence than just leaks. You may feel a sudden urge to go and then feel relief when you do. Or you may experience other symptoms, such as:
* Inability to hold urine in the bladder for more than several hours at a time – this can be an indication that there's a problem with your bladder or nervous system. Some medications can help with this problem.
* A frequent urge to urinate may be caused by a UTI, diabetes, or another medical condition.
* Waking up several times during the night to use the bathroom is typically due to a UTI, diabetes, or another medical condition.
* Burning sensation when urinating – this may be due to an infection in your urinary tract.
* Incontinence after you've been laughing, coughing or sneezing – this probably means you have a stress urinary incontinence problem and can be treated with medications and lifestyle changes.
This post explores the definition of incontinence, what can cause it – such as childbirth or a UTI – and what steps can be taken to treat it – from lifestyle changes and medication to surgery. There's also a list of resources for finding more information on the condition if you need it!
No matter how stressed out we are, we all want to feel alive. It's rewarding when life brings challenges like handling stress with ease or feeling the energy that comes with mastering a new skill.
But it's also scary to feel overwhelmed. You try to hang on, but suddenly, you're off balance, and everything feels like it's crashing down. For some people with incontinence, this feeling is overwhelming. It can seem impossible to feel at ease – or even alive – without feeling that uncomfortable sensation in the back of your throat or under your arms.
"The word 'incontinence' can mean more than just a few wet accidents, It can also mean feeling uncomfortable regularly, such as having to wear pads or other protection more than you'd like.
No matter what you're experiencing, there are ways to take control of your health and feel more confident about yourself.
What is incontinence?
The definition of incontinence may vary depending on who you ask. For example, your sister may define it as the process of getting rid of something. Your mom may call it something else entirely. But the medical definition is: "involuntary loss of urine from the bladder or bowel. This can occur during normal conditions, or it can be due to illness or injury."
Incontinence is a condition that affects many men and women in some way. But it's not always the thing we hear about. If someone talks about their "incontinence" on Facebook, it may be embarrassing or even offensive. The same is true if you want to talk about incontinence at work or school. People may think you're negative or undiagnosed.
The fact is that incontinence is more than just a few accidents. This condition has many symptoms, but most people associate it with leaking urine.
"Many people have misconceptions about incontinence," says Schulman. "They think of urinary tract infections and bladder infections, which can be serious, but equally complex issues."
And although incontinence can indeed be caused by conditions such as bladder or kidney stones or a UTI, he adds that this is not the whole picture. It can also be caused by other issues, such as childbirth and surgery.
What causes incontinence?
It's essential to understand the causes of incontinence because that can help you find solutions. Typically, there are two main categories: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic is a condition caused from within – such as a UTI or bladder or kidney stones. On the other hand, extrinsic is an outside source like a medical condition or event (such as childbirth).
Incontinence of urine can occur after childbirth due to the physical demands placed on the bladder during pregnancy and labour. "However, many women do not experience incontinence in the post-partum period," says Schulman. "This can be due to vaginismus and pelvic floor muscle spasms."
There are several types of incontinence, and some are more common than others. If you are experiencing incontinence, it's essential to understand what type you have so you can take the appropriate steps toward treatment.
1. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) – The most common form is stress urinary incontinence, which affects as many as 80 per cent of women after childbirth. Symptoms include leaks when coughing, sneezing or laughing.
2. Overflow incontinence – This type of incontinence occurs when the toilet bowl is full or if you have a lot of gas in your digestive system and let it go, causing a full bladder.
3. Urge urinary incontinence – This condition happens when there's a sudden urge to urinate that can't be resisted, like an urgent feeling to go to the bathroom quickly before you leave someone's home.
4. Mixed incontinence – Some people experience urinary incontinence due to a condition other than childbirth, including pregnancy, diabetes or accidents.
5. Incontinence in children – It's estimated that one in four children ages 6-12 has urinary incontinence.
6. Overactive bladder – This type can be treated with medication and lifestyle changes, similar to what you'd do for stress urinary incontinence. It can also be treated with surgery, usually during a surgical procedure known as an SUI procedure. In most cases, the problem will go away without any complications if adequately managed.
What are the symptoms of incontinence?
There's more to experiences of incontinence than just leaks. You may feel a sudden urge to go and then feel relief when you do. Or you may experience other symptoms, such as:
* Inability to hold urine in the bladder for more than several hours at a time – this can be an indication that there's a problem with your bladder or nervous system. Some medications can help with this problem.
* A frequent urge to urinate may be caused by a UTI, diabetes, or another medical condition.
* Waking up several times during the night to use the bathroom is typically due to a UTI, diabetes, or another medical condition.
* Burning sensation when urinating – this may be due to an infection in your urinary tract.
* Incontinence after you've been laughing, coughing or sneezing – this probably means you have a stress urinary incontinence problem and can be treated with medications and lifestyle changes.