Urinary Incontinence
While there are many symptoms that comes with menopause, urinary incontinence and menopause is one of the conditions that is both confusing, embarrassing and a blow to a woman's self esteem.
Incontinence During Menopause
While younger women may have occasional urinary control problems, menopausal women seem to have more and more periods where their bladder seems out to get them.
Causes
The inability to control your urination can occur at any time during menopause when you least expect it. Wrenching the gut by sneezing, laughing heartily or yelling at something can make it happen. Coughing can also cause urinary leakage and that is just one aspect of the condition.
When your bladder is full, it can become like being at the end of your pregnancy - when you have to go, you have to go! It feels like an uncontrollable urge to pass urine and if you don't find a toilet quickly, you will have an accident. It will wake you out of a sound sleep, and make you rude in line at a public restroom. Running water and sudden entrance into a cold place can trigger this urge and then there's no stopping it.
While this is upsetting at worst, it is simply an annoyance in most cases and can be treated or the urine leakage dealt with utilizing thin pads and in more severe cases, panties with pads built in complete with deodorant to minimize and eliminate any odor or embarrassment. It can also be treated in other ways. Overflow incontinence is another problem. This is when no matter how many times you go to the bathroom, you still suffer urinary leakage.
This happens because the function of the nerve supply to the bladder is impaired. The bladder is distended and will leak when overfilled. Women with this condition don't feel the urge to go; they just leak. This condition can be caused by excessive holding of urine.
Hormonal imbalances brought on by menopause including a decrease in estrogen output can cause the bladder lining to weaken which in turn will cause control of urine to decrease. As we age, it is natural for it to be harder to hold back our urine. Reaction times and bladder weakness all go to this problem of urinary incontinence.
With falling estrogen levels there is a plethora of symptoms that can occur including incontinence. Many people are so embarrassed by this condition and don't seek help or even advice on how-to deal with it in an efficient and effective manner. While it is part of the menopausal process, it is something that usually stays in the shadows and not talked about. This is the worst thing you can do. First stop should be your doctor where you'll find advice, empathy and ways to deal with it.
Treatment
Treatment for urinary incontinence is dependent on what type you are experiencing. It is important to speak with your family physician to ascertain the best way to treat it. It could be due to an infection and a simple round of antibiotics will cure it. A natural product to try, N-Con Tonic There are also drugs that can control abnormal bladder contractions. There is also medication to treat a distended bladder for urinary leakage problems.
During menopause, it may come down to bioidentical replacement therapy which through adjustment, can significantly reduce incontinence. Urinary incontinence during menopause is common and treatable.
Weak bladder muscles and an overactive bladder can be helped if it's caught in time with both medication and exercise. There are all sorts of traditional exercises for the pelvis as well as kegels to strengthen muscles around the urethra. Check with your doctor about the best approach for your menopausal incontinence problems. It might be as simple as taking a pill.
Urinary Incontinence
Updated November 7, 2011
