Urinary Problems Q & A
What is urinary incontinence?
Stress urinary incontinence is a condition where you leak urine during movement or activity. Muscles supporting the bladder can weaken over time or due to other medical issues and cause a lack of bladder control. Stretch of the vaginal support tissues with pregnancy and childbirth often lend to this condition.
Urgency incontinence is different. Overactive muscles or nerve damage may lend to this incontinence. This incontinence involves a sudden strong need to empty your bladder and often loss of urine before able to. Women are more prone to urinary incontinence than men, but anyone is susceptible to developing the condition.
Urinary Tract Infections may cause temporary incontinence. Other factors that can trigger temporary incontinence include:
Chronic constipation
Alcohol
Artificial sweeteners
Caffeine
Medications - such as diuretics
High intake of vitamin C
Persistent stress incontinence can be the result of other medical conditions or trauma to the body. Causes may include:
Pregnancy and childbirth
Aging
Hysterectomy
Menopause
Neurological disorders
What are the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence?
You may have stress incontinence due to weakened muscles if you leak urine when:
Running
Jumping
Laughing
Sneezing
Lifting heavy objects
How is urinary incontinence diagnosed?
Dr. Godat performs a physical examination and discusses your symptoms. He also reviews your medical history to diagnose stress incontinence accurately. He may ask you to perform simple activities during the evaluation to determine the right course of treatment (running being one example).
There are tests Dr. Godat may use to confirm a diagnosis and rule out other medical conditions. These tests may include blood work, a urinalysis, a urine output measurement and cystometrics. Cystometrics is a detailed evaluation of volume and pressure present in and around your bladder. Dr. Godat may also request you to keep a log of related activities, including:
What you drink
How much you drink
How much urine you produce
Frequency of urination
Episodes of incontinence
You should make your daily logs as detailed and accurate as possible. The information provides Dr. Godat with additional insight into your condition.
What is sling surgery?
Often medications may help many bladder conditions but support defects that lead to stress incontinence will require surgical correction. Dr. Godat offers sling surgery and vaginal wall repair as an effective bladder repair treatment.
During sling surgery, he makes a small incision in the vagina and one in your abdomen. Using strips of mesh or your tissue, Dr. Godat creates a sling that he attaches to the urethra as a means of support. The sling also helps to ensure the urethra stays closed when you run or sneeze.
Once the sling is placed, Dr. Godat pulls the sling through the abdomen to create the right amount of tension to hold the sling in place. He uses stitches to attach the ends of the sling to your abdominal wall.