What is it?1
Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. It is more common in women than in men and can be due to various reasons, the most common being:
- Tissue changes due to hormone therapies, surgeries, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy.
- Hormonal changes during menopause
- Pregnancy and postpartum
- Vaginal delivery
- Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
- Prostate cancer
- Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia)
If you suffer from incontinence, it is normal to feel fear, anger, and anxiety. It is common for people with incontinence to avoid sexual relations, exercising, enjoying hobbies, or being away from home for extended periods.
Types of incontinence2
There are mainly 3 types of urinary incontinence:
- Stress incontinence
This occurs when the muscle that tightens the urethra (urethral sphincter) to hold urine in the bladder is weak or damaged.
- Overflow incontinence
This happens when more urine is produced than can be stored. It is usually caused by a blockage or narrowing due to scar tissue, although it can also occur when the bladder muscle cannot contract well to facilitate the release of urine.
- Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence can also be referred to as an overactive bladder. It occurs when the bladder muscle contracts very frequently, suddenly, and without warning, making it impossible to control.
What complications can incontinence cause me?3
- Skin problems: If the skin remains constantly wet due to leaks, rashes, infections, and sores are very common.
- Urinary tract infections: Incontinence increases the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections.
- Impact on personal life: It is likely that people with incontinence feel affected in their social, professional, and personal relationships.
How can I improve my situation?
- There are exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle.
- Bladder training can be done to help manage the frequency of urination.
- There are medications to promote the function of the bladder muscles and the muscles that control urine flow.
- Surgery can be performed to inject collagen to narrow the muscle that controls urine flow.
- Avoid foods like caffeine and alcohol that can irritate the bladder.
- It is important to exercise and maintain a healthy weight.
- It is important to maintain good intimate hygiene with a gel like Urogelus that helps prevent skin problems and improve damaged skin.
- There are products on the market to make life easier for people with incontinence: pads, specific underwear, bed protectors, and Nodorin, the only deodorant to prevent bad odor.
References
*1 https://www.cancer.org/es/cancer/como-sobrellevar-el-cancer/efectos-secundarios/cambios-urniarios-y-de-excrecion/incontinencia-urinaria-e-intestinal.html
*2 https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/urinaryincontinence.html#:~:text=La%20incontinencia%20urinaria%20es%20la,mejorar%20con%20un%20tratamiento%20adecuado.
*3 https://www.mayoclinic.org/es/diseases-conditions/urinary-incontinence/symptoms-causes/syc-20352808
