Urinary Incontinence In Women

There are at least over 25 million adults in the US suffering from urinary incontinence (UI). It can occur at any age but is most commonly seen in older women. 

But contrary to what many people may believe, UI is not a natural health condition that just comes with age! In fact, many older adults don’t experience UI at all. It occurs when areas in the pelvic region don’t function correctly or are unhealthy—which means understanding the causes of UIs is important to maintaining bladder health. 

WHAT IS URINARY INCONTINENCE?

The urinary system, which comprises the bladder, kidneys, urethra, and ureters, is in charge of storing, filtering and removing waste from the body. Waste that our cells naturally generate ends up in the bloodstream. Our kidneys clean our blood by filtering out this waste and collecting it as urine. During the normal process of urination, the brain sends signals to the bladder to release the urine and expel it through the urethra. 

Now, while filtering the blood is involuntary, we can generally control when our bladder releases urine. Urinary incontinence (UI) occurs when we lose control of our bladder or the bladder weakens, which may be caused by a number of conditions. 

WHY WOMEN?

The reason why women are twice as likely to sustain UI is because of unique health events such as pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause, which affect the overall stability of the urinary system and its corresponding muscles and organs. 

The types of UI that women commonly experience are the following: 

Stress Incontinence

A type of incontinence that’s often seen in younger women, stress incontinence occurs when there is excessive stress on the bladder as a result of weak pelvic floor muscles or damage to the sphincter due to physical ordeals such as childbirth. This causes urine leakage when one engages in everyday actions, or sudden physical movements, coughing, sneezing, and even laughing 

Urge Incontinence 

Urge incontinence is at play when there is a frequent strong and sudden urge to urinate. In many cases, they are unable to control their bladder in time to reach a comfort room and urine leakage occurs. Usually common in older women, this type of incontinence can be caused by an overactive bladder (OAB) as a result of weak pelvic muscles, nerve damage, postmenopausal estrogen level decline, infections, weight issues, and, to a certain extent, alcohol, caffeine, and some medications. Its causes also include neurological disorders and unchecked bladder infection. 

DIAGNOSIS

As with all health disorders, urinary incontinence treatments start with consulting with a health provider. In diagnosing the condition, patients normally go through a complete physical examination to go along with an evaluation of the symptoms.

In some cases, other tests may be prescribed, such as: 

• Urine test 
• Ultrasound 
• Cystoscopy 
• Urodynamics 
• Bladder stress test

COMMON TREATMENTS

Depending on the patient's medical history, overall health, symptoms, procedure tolerance, and the severity of the issue, the common treatments for UI usually include: 

• Behavioral bladder therapies (Kegel exercises) 
• Pelvic muscle rehabilitation 
• Vaginal insert (pessaries) 
• Neuromodulation
• Diet modifications 
• Medication 
• Surgery

These treatments have worked for many, but their outcomes will still depend on the individual. Incontinence may sometimes not respond to medication. In some cases, even strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor is unable to solve stress incontinence. 

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

Here at Beyer Functional Wellness, our approach to treating health conditions revolves around the use of alternative and regenerative procedures. These make use of the body’s natural, biological processes to stimulate long-term healing. 

And in the case of UI in women, we provide what’s called the O Shot. From the name itself, one might think this is a medication or drug, but in reality, it’s not. 

The O-shot is a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) solution extracted from the patient’s blood. This solution contains natural growth factors, which are injected into the patient’s clitoral and vaginal areas to initiate tissue regeneration and increase blood flow. Stress incontinence, in particular, responds well to this kind of treatment because the O-Shot can promote regeneration and growth in the pelvic floor muscles or in a damaged sphincter, some of the main causes of UI. 

Each patient responds differently to the O-Shot procedure, but most of our patients see results within 3-4 months.  If you or a loved one are experiencing any urinary incontinence symptoms, you can expect Dr. Beyer and our clinic to help you get the treatment you need!