Are you tired of feeling like your bladder is in control? You are not alone. Urinary incontinence, or the involuntary leakage of urine, is a common condition that affects women of all ages. 50% of adult women experience some incontinence, and this statistic rises as women get older, with up to 75% of women over the age of 65. Urinary incontinence is nothing to be ashamed of and is often caused by factors out of our control. Whether you leak when sneezing, jumping on a trampoline, or during physical activity, there are a variety of effective treatments to help manage leakage or stop it entirely.
What Are the Different Types of Incontinence?
There are three main types of incontinence that have varying causes.
- Urgency Incontinence: This type is described as being unable to hold urine long enough to reach a restroom. Symptoms can be a strong urge to urinate and the need to urinate often.
- Stress Incontinence: If you leak when laughing, coughing, sneezing, exercising, or performing any body movements, that is stress incontinence. When you put pressure on the bladder, weakened pelvic muscles have difficulty keeping urine from leaking.
- Mixed Incontinence: Mixed incontinence is the combination of both stress and urge incontinence.
What Are the Common Causes of Urinary Incontinence?
Understanding the root cause is essential to treat your specific type of incontinence. While several factors may be in play, below are the most common causes:
- Pelvic Floor Weakness: A weak pelvic floor is the main contributing factor of stress incontinence. Think of the pelvic floor muscles as a hammock that stretches from the pubic bone to the tailbone, supporting the bladder, uterus, and bowels. When these muscles weaken due to factors such as aging, obesity, or childbirth, it becomes more difficult for the bladder to hold urine in non-optimal conditions, such as jumping, lifting heavy objects, or the pressure of laughing, sneezing, or coughing.
- Childbirth: Childbirth is often the primary cause of urinary incontinence in younger women. During pregnancy, a woman’s body produces hormones that stretch and relax the pelvic floor, readying the body for delivery. As the baby gets ready to be born, the pelvic floor muscles get stretched out and weakened. Even if a baby is born via c-section, weakness may still be present.
- Menopause: Menopause is a common time when women start to experience urinary incontinence. This is due to the hormonal changes the body is undergoing, particularly the decline in estrogen. Estrogen helps to maintain bladder and urethral strength and elasticity. When estrogen levels decline, these tissues weaken, making it more challenging to control bladder function.
- Obesity: The bladder is a sensitive organ, and even a few extra pounds around the abdominal area puts pressure on the bladder and pelvic floor. It is estimated that 46% to 67% of obese women experience a form of incontinence.
- Chronic Conditions: Certain conditions, such as diabetes, can cause urinary incontinence. Diabetic patients experience elevated blood sugar levels, which can lead to increased thirst and frequent urination. Diabetes can also cause nerve damage, including the nerves that control the pelvic floor and bladder.
- Certain Medications: Certain medications can cause urinary incontinence by either relaxing the bladder muscles or contracting them, making it difficult to fully empty the bladder.
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): UTIs are a common cause of short-term incontinence as the infection and inflammation within the urinary tract irritate the bladder, causing it to spasm. This can lead to involuntary leakage. This worsens with repeat infections and can change the bladder’s muscle tone.
What Are Effective Treatments for Urinary Incontinence?
The good news about urinary incontinence is that it is highly treatable. At InVogue, we provide customized treatment plans to help women gain control and confidence. Depending on the type of incontinence and its severity, treatments will vary from lifestyle changes and at-home exercises to advanced medical procedures.
- Pelvic Floor Exercises: The root cause of many types of incontinence is weak pelvic floor muscles. Strengthening these muscles, which includes contracting and relaxing them, can improve bladder control. To do so, contract your muscles like you are stopping the flow of urine for 3 to 5 seconds, rest for 3 to 5 seconds, and repeat ten times, multiple times a day.
- Lifestyle Modifications: Improving overall health, such as losing weight, can assist with reducing urinary incontinence and managing chronic conditions. Training your body to fully empty the bladder on timed schedules and avoiding caffeine or a lot of fluid before an activity.
- Hormone Therapy: For post-menopausal women, estrogen replacement therapy can help improve bladder strength and elasticity. Examples include topical estrogen creams and vaginal rings.
- Medical Interventions: For women who need more advanced interventions, InVogue offers two advanced technologies.
- VTone is a painless vaginal rejuvenation that uses electrical stimulation intravaginally to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. The gentle electrical impulses also tighten the vagina and reduce urinary incontinence. Most patients will need two treatments a week for four weeks for best results.
- FormaV applies radiofrequency energy and heat to the inside of the vagina, stimulating the body to produce collagen and elastin. This tightens the tissue and increases circulation. This gentle process will require approximately three consecutive treatment sessions over 12 to 18 weeks.
Other medical interventions include:
- Vaginal inserts
- Prescribed medications
- Bladder sling surgeries
- Botox injections into the bladder
Take Control of Your Life: Say Goodbye to Incontinence!
At InVogue Rejuvenation & Body Sculpting Center, we understand the impact that urinary incontinence can have on your life. Whether you suffer from stress, urgency, or a combination of incontinence issues, our healthcare professionals can create a customized plan to help you stop involuntary leaking. If needed, we offer the revolutionary VTone and FormaV treatment solutions. Visit us for your well women’s visit and take your first step towards a life free from incontinence.
