There are about 12 million adults who suffer from urinary incontinence in the United States. Incontinence is more common in women over 50 but can affect men and younger people. Urinary incontinence means you cannot control your urine and you wet your clothes.

This is an embarrassing problem but can be successfully be treated or even cured. Those people who do not get treatment may suffer from urinary tract infections, rashes, and sores. You may find your quality of life affected because you are too embarrassed to be with friends and families because of your incontinence problem.

Post Menopause

The thinning and drying of the vagina and urethra when they are post-menopausal may cause urinary incontinence in women. Weak pelvic muscles weakened by childbirth may also cause it.

Some medicines may cause incontinence and a build up of stool in the bowels may also bring on the symptoms. If you are not able to move around or have repeated urinary tract infections you may also suffer from incontinence.

Prostate Problems

Men may suffer from urinary incontinence if they have an enlarged prostate glad or had prostate surgery. They may suffer from incontinence because of diabetes or high calcium levels in the body. Men may have bladder incontinence if they are not able to move around, and because of certain medications they may be taking.

There are four types of urinary incontinence and each have their own causes.

• Stress incontinence occurs when you laugh, cough, or lift something heavy. This type of incontinence is most common in women, especially those who have had children or stomach surgery.
• Urge incontinence; when you need to urinate without any warning and cannot get to a toilet. People who have urge incontinency may not have any warning they need to urinate or may have just a few seconds, which is not enough time to reach a toilet. This type of incontinence is more common in the elderly but can appear in younger patients if they have a bladder or kidney infection.
• The third form of urinary incontinence is called overflow incontinence. Your body may feel that it cannot empty the bladder and may cause a patient to strain when urinating. Diabetes, certain medications, a tumor, or an enlarged prostate may cause this problem. This type of incontinence is more common in men.
• Another common form of urinary incontinence occurs because a person has problems getting to the bathroom in time. They have normal bladder and kidney control but are prevented from making it to the toilet because of other physical problems or diseases that inhibits their movement.

Treatment

No matter what type or form of urinary incontinence you are experiencing; there is hope for you. Medications, exercises, bladder retraining, and surgery are options to help slow down the leakage or stop it completely.

Do not suffer with this problem in silence. It is embarrassing to talk about but you should see your doctor and openly share your problem. There is relief for the millions of Americans who have a urinary incontinence problem.