Several organs control urination, including the kdineys, bladder, urethra, ureters, and sphincter muscles. Dysfunction in any structure can impair urination. Urinary incontinence is a symptom of an underlying disorder, but it is not always easy to isolate which organ/area is at play. It can be a temporary or permanent process, depending on the cause. Let's explore how incontinence affects individuals and the support options available.
Some Causes of Incontinence
Stress can cause urinary incontinence in adults and children. Urinary tract infections and sleep apnea can also contribute. Diabetes may cause incontinence through nerve damage. Alcohol, caffeine, dehydration, and over hydration can worsen symptoms. Certain medications and chronic constipation may also trigger urinary incontinence.
How Incontinence Affects Individuals
Children
All children will experience a form of urinary incontinence or bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis. For the most part, this is because nerves controlling the bladder take years to develop, for some children, longer than others. This means that the little ones are simply unable to recognize when their bladders are full. Additionally, their young bladders are still developing and are not able to hold the urine produced during sleep, as more fully developed bladders can.
Pregnancy
Urinary incontinence is also extremely common during and following pregnancy. Hormonal changes can cause sphincters to relax during pregnancy, as well as weight gain, and the mounting pressure of the uterus on the bladder. Childbirth itself can cause the sphincters to stretch or even damage or injure them, along with the pelvic nerves. Stress incontinence is common in this group, meaning coughing, laughing or sneezing (any sudden bearing down) can cause some incontinence. For the most part, these symptoms are reversible with time and healing.
Over 60
As we age, our bladder muscles simply become weaker, as most muscles do. Again, hormonal changes as we age, like a decrease in estrogen in women during menopause, can affect the health of the lining of the bladder and urethra. Incontinence can be an incapacitating condition that affects approximately 3 million elderly people in the United States alone. It is not uncommon for this group to withdraw from their community and social activities and may become depressed. Uninhibited bladder (also termed unstable bladder or detrusor hyperreflexia or uninhibited neurogenic bladder) is a common cause of incontinence in both men and women in this group. It involves the involuntary contraction of the bladder at low urine volumes. It can be caused by a number of underlying genitourinary or neurological issues and is commonly responsible for the complaints of both urinary urgency and frequency from this population.
Incontinence Support & Treatment Options
Conventional Incontinence Support
Anti-cholinergic drugs, used very commonly to treat urinary incontinence, work by preventing these involuntary contractions. Women over the age of 50, postmenopausal or multi-parous (those multiple pregnancies) often suffer from a combination of this and stress incontinence, while men in this group can often have a correlated prostate enlargement or other issues, exacerbating their uninhibited bladder incontinence symptoms. Prostate issues, specifically, should be addressed thoroughly as part of any male incontinence or frequency concern.
Natural Remedies
There are some natural, plant-based products that are meant to support a healthy genitourinary system and help to prevent and even alleviate urinary incontinence based on cause. One of these plant-based medicines is Horsetail, or equisetum arvensa. Horsetail has been shown to benefit various bladder and kidney issues, including incontinence. It does have mild diuretic effects, as well as being high in minerals, particularly silica. Horsetail is available in tincture and capsule forms. Manufacturers often add it to joint and bone formulas. Horsetail may also support healthy hair, nails, and skin. Practitioners recommend skullcap for incontinence. Skullcap may help when inflammation contributes to symptoms.
Do Your Kegels
Weak pelvic floor muscles often cause stress incontinence. Pelvic floor exercises can help treat and prevent symptoms. Doctors often recommend Kegels during and after pregnancy. These exercises strengthen and restore pelvic muscles. Both men and women can perform Kegel exercises. Essentially, a kegel consists of tightening the muscles of the pelvic floor. Practice Kegels by imagining that you are stopping urine flow. Avoid performing Kegels during urination. Interrupting urination can weaken pelvic floor muscles over time. Work your way up to holding the contraction for 10 seconds and relaxing for ten seconds between contractions. Do 5-10 reps, 3 times throughout the day to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
