Types of Bladder Control Problems
Loss of bladder control is given many different names, including:
· urinary incontinence,
· "leaking", and
· having an Overactive Bladder.
These are all medical conditions that prevent you from being able to control when you urinate.
However, Overactive Bladder, or OAB, specifically refers to urgency and frequency and is not always linked with leakage.
Some bladder control problems happen when you develop a urinary tract or vaginal infection. Others are a result of medications or a hormone imbalance. These are usually temporary. Ongoing bladder control problems can occur when the bladder and sphincter muscles don't function properly. They may be either too weak or too active. Problems may also occur when the nervous system does not work properly due to disease or injury.
The major types of bladder control problems are:
1) Overactive Bladder
In Overactive Bladder (which is also known as OAB), the large muscle in the bladder - the detrusor muscle - contracts involuntarily. This contraction causes a person to feel a sudden and sometimes overwhelming urge to urinate, even if the bladder is not full.
Overactive Bladder usually causes one or more of the following symptoms:
|
Urgency |
a sudden strong urge to urinate with little or no chance to postpone the urination. |
|
Frequency |
the need to urinate more than 8 times over 24 hours |
|
Nocturia |
waking up to urinate 2 or more times a night |
|
Urge urinary incontinence |
involuntary loss of a significant amount of urine |
*Most people with OAB; experience only the symptoms of urgency and frequency, without nocturia, nighttime urges or urge urinary incontinence (wetting episodes).
Canadian surveys of OAB sufferers indicate that women are more likely to experience OAB than men.
It is important to know that OAB is not normal at any age. Overactive Bladder is an ongoing condition that is treatable. See your doctor to determine the best treatment options for you.
Treatment of Overactive Bladder may include pelvic floor muscle exercises, bladder retraining, biofeedback, dietary changes, medications and surgery. Combining two or more of these treatment options may provide the best improvement. Alternatively, some people will manage their urinary incontinence with absorbent products and devices.
2) Stress urinary incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence often occurs when the support muscles around the urethra (the muscles which keep urine in the bladder) are weak. As a result, even a minor increase in abdominal pressure can cause a small amount of urine to leak. Stress urinary incontinence is associated with leakage that occurs with certain activities, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising, or lifting a heavy object. It is not usually preceded by the urge felt with OAB.
Many women experience stress urinary incontinence after either pregnancy or menopause. Men can experience it after prostatic surgery. Many people manage stress urinary incontinence by wearing pads or diapers. One treatment option involves the use of pelvic floor muscle exercises to improve the strength of the muscles supporting the bladder.
3) Mixed urinary incontinence
Mixed urinary incontinence refers to a combination of the symptoms of both stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence. It is more common in older women. The usual course of therapy is to treat the predominant symptom first. Because the symptoms of these two conditions are different, treatment may be a combination of behavioural and drug therapies, together with pelvic floor exercises.
4) Overflow urinary incontinence
Overflow urinary incontinence occurs when the bladder overfills. People who suffer from this type of incontinence may complain of poor urinary stream, dribbling, or symptoms of stress or urge urinary incontinence.
5) Other bladder conditions
A urinary tract infection (UTI) can involve infection in any or all parts of the urinary tract, including the ureter, the bladder, the urethra or any combination of these. The infection often exhibits symptoms similar to Overactive Bladder, including frequent urination. However, unlike OAB, a urinary tract infection is usually associated with a burning sensation during urination. If these are your symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible. A UTI is an infection that can be cured with proper treatment.
Some men who experience frequent urination and urges may have a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate. Unlike OAB, BPH can cause hesitancy, decreased flow during urination, and incomplete emptying. Sometimes, a man may have both OAB and BPH. A doctor can tell whether you have OAB, an enlarged prostate, or both conditions and can advise you regarding appropriate treatment.
Frequent urination in large amounts is called polyuria. If you have noticed that you visit the bathroom more frequently and pass a normal amount of urine each time, your doctor may test you for excessive fluid intake or for diabetes, as this is one symptom of that condition.