Bladder Control Problems Can Be TreatedDid you know that urinary incontinence means a loss of bladder control? If you did not, you are not alone. Almost half the Canadian population does not know what the word "incontinence" means, despite the fact that 3.3 million Canadians experience it!

General Facts About Incontinence:

• Incontinence affects over 3.3 million Canadians including men and women of all ages.
• Incontinence means the involuntary release of urine at the wrong time and/or place.
• The number of people experiencing incontinence will rise dramatically over the coming years due to the aging "boomer" population.
• Incontinence is not a disease. It is a symptom of something else going on in the body, and should be discussed with a healthcare professional who is interested and knowledgeable in the area.
• In one study, 74.5% of respondents reported that day-to-day activities had been modified at least a little because of urine leakage.
• People suffering with incontinence experience various emotions during. incontinence—84.3% reported feeling embarrassment, 73.4% reported feeling discouraged, and 83.1% reported feelings of frustration.

The Causes of Urinary Incontinence:

• Incontinence can be caused by a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, the result of a disease process such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, birth defects, injuries from an accident, or a consequence of medications or surgery.
• Incontinence is not caused by aging. However, changes which occur with the natural aging process may contribute to incontinence. For example, the natural enlagement of the prostate gland as men age, or the decrease of estrogen which women experience, can lead to incontinence.
• Since there are so many possible causes of incontinence, it should be diagnosed by a physician in order to ensure that this is not a symptom of another problem, and so that the correct treatment options can be discussed and selected.

Some Types of Urinary Incontinence:

• Stress - happens when the bladder can’t handle the increased pressure during exercise, coughing or sneezing.
• Urge - can be caused by a sudden, involuntary bladder spasm. It is the inability to delay urinating long enough to get to a toilet when you get the feeling.
• Overflow – happens when the bladder becomes too full because it can’t be completely emptied, and there is a frequent leakage of urine without the urge to urinate.
• Total – results from the complete absence of control which may lead to continuous leakage or periodic uncontrolled emptying of the bladder.

Some Therapies for Urinary Incontinence:

• Kegel exercises - Regular daily exercises of the pelvic floor muscles .May be done with or without Biofeedback equipment and electrical stimulation, which help identify the right muscles to contract.
• Bladder training - Teaches people to resist the urge to urinate and to gradually expand the interval between urinating.
  
• Diet – Helps people by avoiding foods and/or fluids which can irritate the bladder, like caffeine.
  
• Medications - One type can calm bladder spasms.
  
• Hormone replacement - Estrogen treatments in post-menopausal women
  
• Injections – These involve injections of a substance into the urinary passage to improve its strength.
  
• Surgery – The most frequently performed one is a repositioning the neck of the bladder. There is also an artificial sphincter implant, which can be helpful for men who have incontinence after prostate cancer surgery. Sacral nerve stimulation device, an option for some adults, involves a device which can be implanted in the body to help stimulate nerves in the pelvis and improve bladder function.

For more information on incontinence or for a list of specialists in your area, call The Canadian Continence Foundation at 1-800-265-9575.

Sources:
Experiences, Perceptions and Needs Among a Large-scale Canadian Population Experiencing Incontinence: A Quantitative Study Report, by Malvina Klag, Executive Director, The Canadian Continence Foundation, March, 1999
Angus Reid Poll, Unpublished, 1997
Angus Reid Poll, The Canadian Continence Foundation, 1998