“We’ll blame it on the dog.”
Urinary incontinence (incontinence) is an involuntary and uncontrolled release of urine caused by an increase in the pressure in the abdomen. It is caused by sudden activities such as coughing, laughing or sneezing.
In the elderly, it is a serious problem that worsens their quality of life and very often leads to lowered activity. In addition, the patients often do not want to admit it. It is seen as an embarrassing condition and is frequently ignored.
What are the symptoms of urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence usually develops slowly and can manifest itself in a number of ways. The first signal is the unexpected release of a small amount of urine during coughing or frequent visits to the toilet.
Depending on the stage of the disease, the symptoms may vary – from leaking a few drops during laughter, coughing or sneezing, to not being able to maintain urine with a full bladder.
There are three main types of urinary incontinence:
Stress urinary incontinence
Involuntary release of urine usually during sudden and severe tension of the abdominal walls
Urge urinary incontinence
Uncontrolled release of urine when pressing on the bladder; usually occurs while on the way to the toilet
Bladder overflow urinary incontinence
Urine release usually occurs when the bladder is full
What causes urinary incontinence?
Hormonal changes and the passage of time reduce the efficiency of muscles, which lose effectiveness and flexibility, which results in the fact that they fail to close the opening of the bladder tightly. This, in turn, may cause urine to leak against a person’s will.
The most common causes of incontinence include:
Weakened pelvic muscles, weakening of the urethra and lowering of the bladder
Urinary tract infections
Urolithiasis
Constipation
Obesity
Births given
Gynecological and urological surgeries
Prostate enlargement in men
Inability to get to the toilet quickly
Treatment and prevention
Urinary incontinence is not only a health problem, but also a social one. The elderly who struggle with it begin to avoid relationships and contacts with others due to the enormous stress and a potential embarrassment involved.
Urinary incontinence can and should be treated.
The caregiver of an elderly person suffering from urinary incontinence plays a vital role. It is necessary for them to have appropriate knowledge of the condition and to be able to react effectively without undermining the dignity of the elderly person when he or she notices the problem. The situation is not comfortable, so the caregiver must be guided by empathy and proper tact.
In case of incontinence, it is worth persuading the elderly person to:
Perform daily pelvic floor muscle exercises (called Kegel muscles)
Eliminate addictions, e.g. smoking, which may intensify coughing
Drink a sufficient amount of fluids
Support their legs on a small footrest when urinating
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