Do you leak urine every time you sneeze or cough? Do you pee in your pants when you laugh out too loudly? If yes, chances are that you could be suffering from Urinary Incontinence, a condition that is common but many Indian women are ashamed of coming out in the open.
"Urinary incontinence is very very prevalent in India and a lot of women suffer from it, but they are ashamed to come out in the open. However, if you ask pointedly that do you leak urine when your cough or sneeze, then a lot of them would say "yes". If I have to put my finger on it, I would say, after the delivery, at least 50 percent of women suffer from Urinary Incontinence," says Dr Rahul Manchanda, a leading consultant Gynaecologist Endoscopic surgeon at Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute (PSRI), New Delhi.
What is Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence — the loss of bladder control — is a common and often embarrassing problem. The severity ranges from occasionally leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to having an urge to urinate that's so sudden and strong you don't get to a toilet in time. It can be occasional, minor leaks of urine to frequent wetness.
Mostly, Urinary incontinence happens after childbirth as the perineum becomes lax after delivery, says Dr Manchanda.
"During childbirth the muscles become more lax and because of which the uterus comes down a little bit and that itself could lead to Urinary Incontinence. Having said that sometimes even simple urinary infections can lead to incontinence, but it is highly treatable," adds Dr Manchanda.
The Mayo Clinic lists the following types of urinary incontinence:
- Stress incontinence. Urine leaks when you exert pressure on your bladder by coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising or lifting something heavy.
- Urge incontinence. You have a sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by an involuntary loss of urine. You may need to urinate often, including throughout the night. This could be used due to an infection also.
- Overflow incontinence. You experience frequent or constant dribbling of urine due to a bladder that doesn't empty completely.
- Functional incontinence. A physical or mental impairment keeps you from making it to the toilet in time.
- Mixed incontinence. You experience more than one type of urinary incontinence.
Identifying the Cause
"The problem is not that you have incontinence, the problem is coming out of it in the open and then finding the cause. For that you have to got a specialist that could identify it and treat it in time. It can even be dealt with simple medications, " says Dr Manchanda.
Continue reading on the next page to know about the causes and the treatment of Urinary Incontinence
A thorough evaluation by your doctor can help determine what's behind your incontinence and identify the following causes for it.
- Urinary Infection: Urinary Infections can irritate your bladder, causing you to have strong urges to urinate, and sometimes incontinence.
- Childbirth: Vaginal delivery can weaken muscles needed for bladder control and also damage bladder nerves and supportive tissue, leading to a dropped (prolapsed) pelvic floor. With prolapse, the bladder, uterus, rectum or small intestine can get pushed down from the usual position and protrude into the vagina. Such protrusions can be associated with incontinence, says the Mayo Clinic.
- Age: As you get older, the muscles in your bladder and urethra lose some of their strength
Prevention & Treatment
The findings of a recent survey on the prevalence of Urinary Incontinence among women show that while a third of the patients find the lack of bladder control a definite bother, very few women reached out for medical assistance and even fewer of them knew which specialist to consult.
The survey of 2,000 women in the 30-50 age group found a prevalence of about 40 per cent. While 46 per cent of subjects ticked the box when asked whether they leaked while coughing, sneezing or laughing indicating that they suffered stress incontinence — the most prevalent form of the disorder — another 37 per cent complained of urge incontinence (leakage before reaching the toilet).
Significantly, while 31 per cent thought that their condition was indeed bothersome, only 13 per cent were not averse to approaching a doctor.
The main reasons for hesitating to consult a doctor ranged from shyness (22 per cent) and the notion that incontinence was a passing problem (31 per cent) to being unsure of which specialist they needed to consult (34 per cent).
Treating it
The good news is, in today's time and age, the condition can be easily managed with simple medical solutions and lifestyle modification. In mild cases, doctors only prescribe medicines that are designed to decrease the bladder's overactivity.
Simple exercises such as Kegels also help in preventing Urinary incontinence. "Kegels do help in strengthening the musculature or the perineum and not only prevent it, but in mild cases can also help in treating it," says Dr Manchanda
In severe cases, urinary incontinence could be due to a uterus prolapse (a condition in which the uterine muscles become weak or relaxed and may allow the uterus to sag), which can be treated with a simple surgery.
"Even if you have to for a surgery, it is minimally invasive and the recovery is quicker," says Dr Manchanda adding that the cost of the surgery could be anywhere between 50,000 to 1,50,000.
Also Read: 5 common diseases that Indian women should watch out for
