Loss of bladder control, commonly called urinary incontinence, is more common than most people think. It’s also incredibly embarrassing and can lead to women avoiding activities and social situations that they love because of that embarrassment. Here at Eagle’s Landing OB/GYN, we understand how you’re feeling and we want to help you to understand incontinence so you can find a solution that works for you. Here are the five common types of urinary incontinence.
1. Urge Incontinence
Urge incontinence is usually accompanied by sudden urges to go to the bathroom, along with involuntary urine leakage. This condition is also called irritable bladder or overactive bladder. It can be annoying to deal with, especially for busy people who are on the go and feel blindsided and inconvenienced by the sudden and uncontrollable urges to go to the bathroom.
2. Stress Incontinence
Many women find stress incontinence to be the type that they deal with most often. This type of incontinence occurs when there is pressure on the bladder while exercising, laughing, coughing, or sneezing. Even lifting something can cause urinary stress incontinence. Many women who are carrying a little extra weight find that losing a few pounds can help to alleviate stress incontinence.
3. Overflow Incontinence
This type of incontinence occurs when there’s frequent leakage of urine or an overflow of urine. The most common cause is that the bladder isn’t fully emptying each time that you go to the bathroom. As the bladder fills back up, overflow leaks can happen. Because this type tends to occur constantly, it can be particularly frustrating and embarrassing when out and about.
4. Functional Incontinence
People who are experiencing functional incontinence experience leakage or accidents as a side effect of something else. Typically, this means that you’ve got some other illness or impairment that makes getting to the bathroom difficult or impossible. Mobility issues, for instance, are a big contributing factor to functional incontinence, as is multiple sclerosis or other muscular conditions.
5. A Combination of the Above
It’s also possible for someone to experience a combination of two or more types of incontinence. The human body is complex, and every person’s situation is different and her difficulties are unique. Having a mix of different types of incontinence can make it feel even more difficult to manage the situation, leaving you fearful of living your life every day due to your urinary incontinence.
Incontinence is an uncomfortable problem to talk about, but there is help available. If you’re having difficulties with any type of incontinence, contact us at Eagle’s Landing OB/GYN in Stockbridge, GA, so we can set up an appointment for you with one of our specialists.
