What is urinary continence?
Urinary continence generally means that you can control movement of your bladder. This isn’t something that we’re born with but something all of us learn during our early childhood. And because of that fact, it can also be forgotten again in later life. This is something that often happens to people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
What is urinary incontinence?
Incontinence means the exact opposite of continence – that you’re not able to hold urine in the bladder. Signs of incontinence include:
- A sensation that your bladder isn’t completely empty.
- Leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, or exercise.
- Getting up twice or more at night to pee or wetting the bed.
- Difficulties emptying your bladder – straining, poor flow or feeling that it’s not emptied.
- Going to the loo considerably more often than 4-6 times; this is called frequency.
- Suddenly and urgently needing to pee.
Most common types of incontinence
Stress Incontinence - Stress incontinence is usually a result of weak or damaged pelvic floor and sphincter muscles. When those aren’t working at full capacity anymore, a little pressure on the bladder can cause involuntary leakage. Pressure could be caused through coughing, sneezing, exercising, laughing, or even heavy lifting.
Urge Incontinence - Urge incontinence means that you’re not able to hold on to urine when you experience the urge to pee. There might just be a minor leak while you’re rushing to the toilet, or you might not be able to make it to the toilet at all. This type of incontinence is often seen in people with diabetes, MS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, or after experiencing a stroke but can happen to anyone.
Overflow Incontinence - This type of incontinence usually happens when the bladder is constantly full and can’t be emptied completely. Often, this will be caused by an obstruction or blockage of the lower urinary tract that makes it impossible for the urine to exit the body. This means, that you are likely to get a little bit of urine when you’re trying to pee or involuntarily, but you won’t experience a full pee. A spinal cord injury or an enlarged prostate blocking the urethra might be the cause for your overflow incontinence.
Functional Incontinence - When you hear the term functional incontinence, that means that you might not make it to the toilet in time because of a condition that prevents you from getting around quickly.
Nocturnal Enuresis - Nocturnal enuresis, or bedwetting, means that you can’t control your bladder while you’re asleep and wet the bed. Rather than waking up when you feel the urge to pee, your body will simply release the urine while you’re sleeping. Bedwetting is surprisingly common and can happen at any age, not just young children.
Pregnancy and childbirth - Urinary incontinence is very common in the world of pregnancy, this is due to the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments becoming weakened, which result in bladder symptoms of urinary incontinence. You’re more at risk of incontinence during pregnancy if you have a large baby, 4 or more children or have very difficult deliveries.
Prostate problems - Sometimes the prostate can enlarge, putting pressure on the urethra and causes symptoms of urinary incontinence.
Support is only a call away…
There is lots of help for people struggling with their bladder, if you feel like you or someone that you know needs support please check out some of the following links:
Vyne’s in-house nursing team are only a call away:
020 3987 7560
hello@vyne.co.uk
Bladder & Bowel UK:
https://www.bbuk.org.uk/
0161 214 4591
References
1. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/
