Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine. An estimated 30% to 50% of women have experienced occasional urinary incontinence.
The type and frequency of urinary incontinence varies. Types of urinary incontinence include:
• Stress incontinence, which is relatively common, happens
intermittently when intra-abdominal pressure is increased by certain events or activities.
• Persistent urinary incontinence
Causes of stress incontinence and persistent urinary incontinence include:
• Pressure on the bladder during pregnancy
• Damage that can occur to a woman during labor and
childbirth
• Hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus)
• Prolapsed bladder, which means that the bladder has
moved downward
• Excessive fat in the abdomen, resulting in an increase in
intra-abdominal pressure
• Post-menopausal thinning and dryness of tissues around the urethra due to a low level of estrogen in the body
• Weak muscles in the pelvic floor
• Chronic constipation, resulted in an increase in pressure on the bladder
• Chronic coughing
Stress incontinence happens when intra-abdominal pressure prevents the urethral sphincter, the muscle closing the urethra, from holding back the flow of urine from the bladder. Events that can trigger an episode of stress incontinence in susceptible women include:
• Intense laughing
• Intense or prolonged coughing
• Sneezing
• Certain athletic activities (such as running, aerobics, or vigorous dancing)
Many types of approaches to prevent, manage, and treat stress incontinence and persistent incontinence are available to help you lead a full and active life. See our Q&A called Prevention & Treatment of Urinary Incontinence. Consult with your integrative medicine physician, your gynecologist, and your other healthcare professionals for guidance on management and treatment of urinary incontinence.
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