Female Incontinence - Stress Incontinence in Women

Thousands of women experience urinary incontinence (UI), or the involuntary evacuation of urine. While for some women it may just be a few drops while coughing or running, others may experience a sudden and strong urge to urinate prior to eliminating a substantial amount of urine. Both symptoms can occur in many women. The effects of urinary incontinence can range from being mildly bothersome to being completely debilitating. Many women refrain from joining in many activities with their friends and family in the fear of embarrassing themselves publicly.

So, What Exactly is Stress Incontinence?

There are many types of urinary incontinence, and stress incontinence is the most common amongst them. Stress incontinence occurs when there is a leakage of urine when a sudden extra stress or pressure is put on the bladder. The leakage of urine occurs because the urethra and the muscles of the pelvic floor are not able to withstand the extra stress. There is a development of incontinence because of the weakening of the muscles of the pelvic floor. While most of the time it is only a few drops of urine, but sometimes quite a large amount of urine can be evacuated.

Urine loss due to stress incontinence occurs the most when the afflicted individual laughs, coughs, or exercises, where running or jumping is involved.

What are the Causes of Stress Incontinence?

Female stress incontinence occurs mostly due to the weakening of the muscles of the pelvic floor, which in turn is generally because of childbirth. The muscles of the pelvic floor are those that that occur under the rectum and bladder. Women who have had children are more prone to stress incontinence. It also occurs more commonly due to advancing age because of the muscles getting weaker, especially after menopause. Women who are overweight are also usually prone to stress incontinence.

How can Stress Incontinence be Treated?

Usually, the first treatment involves strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor by doing pelvic floor exercises. Almost six out of ten female stress incontinence cases can be improved or cured via this treatment.

In some cases, apart from the exercises, medication may also be advised. And in case other treatments do not provide the results and if the problem continues, then surgery may also be advised.

How to do the Pelvic Floor Strengthening Exercises?

First of all, the correct muscles should be exercised. You may be referred to a physiotherapist or a continence advisor by your doctor to get advice on how to do the exercises.

Here is how you do the pelvic floor exercises:

• Start by sitting in a chair keeping your knees a little apart. Then squeeze the muscle that is just on top of the anus’ entrance. When you squeeze it you will feel a certain amount of movement in it. Try not to move your legs or buttocks.
• Next, try imagining as if you are passing urine and attempting to halt the flow. In this exercise you will be using a slightly different part of the muscles of the pelvic floor as compared to the previous exercise. In this, you will be strengthening the muscles that are towards the front.

These exercises must be done every day. After a few weeks, you will find the pelvic floor muscles becoming stronger. Although it will take about 8-20 weeks for most of the improvement to take place, after which time you could find yourself cured of stress incontinence. It is advisable to continue doing these exercises for the rest of your life.

Medication for Curing Stress Incontinence in Women

Duloxetine is a drug that is used for treating depression. However, it was discovered that it was also effective against stress incontinence. It works by interfering with the effects of certain chemicals that help in transmitting nerve impulses to various muscles, which results in helping the muscles that surround the urethra contract more strongly.

According to a study, it was shown that in six out of ten women who were prescribed duloxetine, the incidences of urine evacuation were halved in comparison to the time before they had taken the medication. Hence, although duloxetine on its own may not cure the problem, but it may be helpful in alleviating the condition to a certain extent. But if duloxetine is combined with the pelvic floor strengthening exercises, it probably will have higher chances of curing stress incontinence.

Surgery to Treat Female Stress Incontinence

There are several surgical methods of treating stress incontinence. Surgery is usually advised when the treatments mentioned above have not helped. The surgical methods are used to support or tighten the structures and muscles under the bladder. These surgical methods are usually successful in curing the condition.

Is there a Way to Prevent Stress Incontinence?

It is thought that if women do pelvic floor strengthening exercises after having a baby, then they are less likely to develop stress incontinence.