Knowing Your Bladder: Incontinence

KNOWING YOUR BLADDER: INCONTINENCE The bladder is really a wonder organ! It is a big part of the system that helps to eliminate liquid waste from your body, and a healthy bladder can expand to hold up to 20 ounces of liquid before allowing a voluntary and painless release. However, incontinence (involuntary urination) can occur in anyone's life due to a variety of issues. Approximately 25 million Americans live with incontinence, and about a third of all Americans have had a bout of incontinence at some point in their lives. WHAT ARE SOME COMMON CAUSES? ACUTE INCONTINENCE Medication Side Effect Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Childbirth Stress CHRONIC (LONG TERM) INCONTINENCE Birth Defects Bladder Muscle Weakness Blocked Urethra Brain or Spinal Injury TYPES OF INCONTINENCE Stress Incontinence (occurs during physical exertion, laughter, sneezing) Urgency / Overactive Bladder Overflow / Retention (never emptying bladder completely, leading to slow trickling) Mixed (varying combination of types) WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR? Did you know the average person waits 7 years before they see a doctor about their bladder condition? That's a long time to live with symptoms that can often make one embarrassed, uncomfortable, and unhappy! When you experience incontinence or any bladder issues, it's worth making an appointment immediately. There are many options available for treatment. OTHER HELPFUL OPTIONS THAT CAN AID IN REDUCING INCONTINENCE Losing No caffeine, alcohol, Kegel weight or other diuretics exercise References http://www.bladderhealthawareness.org/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN8zT9sAeg4 http://www.180medical.com/Urinary-Incontinence 180 MEDICAL