Incontinence may refer to Urinary incontinence or bowel incontinence. Both affect millions of people currently living in the UK. If you are concerned that you or a loved one may have incontinence we always recommend seeing your GP for further advice and diagnosis.
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine. There are several different types of urinary incontinence including stress, urge, overflow and total.
stress incontinence – when urine leaks out at times when your bladder is under pressure; for example, when you cough, sneeze or laugh. This is most common in women. Stress incontinence is usually the result of the weakening of or damage to the muscles used to prevent urination, such as the pelvic floor muscles and the urethral sphincter.
If you or a loved one is experiencing stress incontinence there are lots of treatments to help relieve these symptoms. These include; pelvic floor exercises several times a day, limiting consumption of alcohol and caffeine, quitting smoking and losing weight.
urge incontinence – when urine leaks as you feel a sudden, intense urge to pee, or soon afterwards. This can happen during the day or at night and may happen during activities such as exercise. Urge incontinence is usually the result of overactivity of the detrusor muscles, which control the bladder.
If this is an issue you are experiencing cutting down on caffeine may help, as well as pelvic floor exercises. Medication can also assist with this type of incontinence, only if supervised by a doctor.
overflow incontinence (chronic urinary retention) – when you're unable to fully empty your bladder, which causes frequent leaking. Overflow incontinence is caused by the bladder failing to completely empty itself during urination. Small amounts of the remaining urine will then leak if the bladder becomes too full.
Pelvic floor exercises can help with overflow incontinence, as well as choosing the correct products to help you feel comfortable.
total incontinence – when your bladder cannot store any urine at all, which causes you to pass urine constantly or have frequent leaking. Total incontinence may be caused by a problem with the bladder from birth, a spinal injury, or a small, tunnel like hole that can form between the bladder and a nearby area (fistula).
Some things that may increase your chances of urinary incontinence include:
- pregnancy and vaginal birth
- obesity
- a family history of incontinence
- increasing age – although incontinence is not an inevitable part of ageing
Bowel Incontinence
Bowel incontinence, or faecal incontinence, is when you have problems controlling your bowels. This can be embarrassing and isolating, especially when it stops you from being able to socialise.
Some causes of bowel incontinence include:
- severe or long-lasting constipation or diarrhoea
- irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- inflammatory bowel disease – such as Crohn's disease
- severe piles (haemorrhoids)
- childbirth or surgery damaging the muscles or nerves you use to control your bowels
- conditions that can affect the nerves in your bottom – such as diabetes, a stroke or spina bifida
- Bowel incontinence can affect people in different ways.
There are treatments available to help you manage the symptoms, these include;
- incontinence products – such as pads you wear in your underwear or small plugs you put in your bottom
- changes to your diet – such as avoiding foods that make diarrhoea worse
- medicines to reduce constipation or diarrhoea
- pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles used to control your bowels
- Surgery may be considered if other treatments do not help.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-incontinence/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/
