Urinary Incontinence

The Effects, Treatment and Causes of Overactive Bladder

By Donna Smith

The commercials portraying women participating in a fun activity and then suddenly having "to go," probably makes some smile. But far too many can relate to that sudden need to find the closest bathroom. According to the National Association for Continence (NAFC), incontinence, or the loss of bladder control, affects as many as 25 million Americans – young and old, male and female.

The NAFC defines incontinence as a symptom, not a disease itself. Many conditions can cause incontinence, including neurological diseases, pelvic surgery, birth defects, pelvic or spinal cord injuries, aging and even childbirth and pregnancy. Of the millions of Americans dealing with bladder issues, research has found that about 85 percent of them are women, and one in five over the age of 40 have an overactive bladder.

Bladder control issues can affect all aspects of life. Many experience physical and emotional discomfort and can suffer from low self-esteem. "While many women suffer from urinary incontinence, most can be successfully treated, if not improved," says Dr. Denise M. Elser, director or urogynecology at Illinois Urogynecology, LTD in Oak Lawn, Ill. "As technology improves, treatment options become more available and safer. For women for whom treatment does not work, the hygiene products available make living with incontinence easier than in years past."

Most women are affected by one of three types of incontinence, with the most common being stress. "Women with stress incontinence lose urine with physical stress on the bladder, such as coughing, sneezing, jumping, lifting or yelling," Dr. Elser says. "The condition is caused by weakness in the support (muscle or ligament), or the urethra (the tube that carries urine out from the bladder)."

The second most common is urge incontinence. "Women with urge incontinence experience an overwhelming or painful urge to urinate," Dr. Elser says. "Leakage often occurs on the way to the toilet, while trying to get clothing undone or even while standing in the kitchen and hearing water running. Urge incontinence may be caused by a hypersensitivity of the bladder lining, a spasm of the bladder muscle or both." Women with mixed incontinence have both stress and urge incontinence.

Want to see more?

• Treating Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Common Condition with Surprising Remedies
• A Cure for Incontinence: One Woman's Story of Hope
• Active Living: Managing Urinary Incontinence
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