Urinary Incontinence

By Jessica Smith

Urinary Incontinence Facts:

• Urinary incontinence is not an inevitable part of aging.
• Women are more likely to experience urinary incontinence.
• Urinary incontinence can be successfully treated.

Urinary Incontinence Advice:

• Don't hide your problem out of embarrassment, get treatment.
• Take note of how long you have been experiencing the problem and let your doctor know the details.

There are many different causes of urinary incontinence. The most common type is "stress incontinence." Stress incontinence occurs when small amounts of urine leak from an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. This is more common in women who have had multiple pregnancies. This might happen while coughing, laughing, sneezing and exercising. Let your doctor know if your urinary incontinence occurs during these times.

You can strengthen the muscles that control urine flow by doing pelvic floor muscle exercises, called Kegal exercises. Kegal exercises can be done by women and men. Contact a pelvic floor physical therapist for more information. Biofeedback therapy may also help. You can also ask a PT about that.