Urinary Incontinence

Are you reluctant to talk to your doctor about your bladder control problem? Don’t be. There is help.

Loss of bladder control is called urinary incontinence. It can happen to anyone, but is very common in older people. At least 1 in 10 people age 65 or older has this problem. Symptoms can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. Women are more likely than men to have incontinence.

Aging does not cause incontinence. It can occur for many reasons. For example, urinary tract infections, vaginal infection or irritation, constipation, and certain medicines can cause bladder control problems that last a short time. Sometimes incontinence lasts longer. This might be due to problems such as:

Weak bladder muscles

Overactive bladder muscles

Blockage from an enlarged prostate

Damage to nerves that control the bladder from diseases such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease

Diseases such as arthritis that can make walking painful and slow.

Many people with bladder control problems hide the problem from everyone, even from their doctor. There is no need to do that. In most cases urinary incontinence can be treated and controlled, if not cured. If you are having bladder control problems, don’t suffer in silence. Talk to your doctor.