You Don't Have to Have Urinary Incontinence as You Get Older

Unexpected leaks of urine aren’t part of the natural aging process. If you’re tired of being embarrassed or limited by urinary incontinence, it’s time to take action and explore your options for treatment.

At Urology Specialist Group, our highly skilled urologists specialize in treating urinary incontinence in men and women. Our team also provides educational resources that can prevent urinary incontinence issues as you get older.

Why you have urinary incontinence

There are several types of urinary incontinence that our urologists diagnose and treat, including:

Stress incontinence

Stress incontinence causes unexpected or sudden urine leaks when pressure is put on your bladder. Pressure can stem from a sneeze or laughter or if you engage in heavy lifting or other physical activities.

Other causes of stress incontinence include:

Obesity
Diabetes
Menopause
Pregnancy and childbirth
Weak pelvic floor muscles

Urge incontinence

When you have urge incontinence, you experience an intense urge to urinate and find it difficult to reach the bathroom before urine leaks out.

Urge incontinence can be triggered by infections, diabetes, or underlying neurological disorders.

Overflow incontinence

Overflow incontinence causes urine leaks when your bladder doesn’t fully empty. Poor bladder function increases the volume of urine in the bladder, which causes the overflow to leak out.

The root cause of overflow incontinence relates to dysfunction in the muscles that control your bladder. An obstruction, muscle or nerve damage, or an underlying disease like multiple sclerosis can trigger dysfunction.

Treatment options for urinary incontinence

At Urology Specialist Group, we offer diagnostic tests onsite to identify the type and cause of your urinary incontinence symptoms.

Our providers can check a urine sample for infection or other issues that affect your bladder control. We can also use ultrasound technology to measure how much urine remains in your bladder after you use the bathroom.

Treatment for urinary incontinence often starts with behavioral changes like using the bathroom on a schedule and limiting how much you drink throughout the day. We can also recommend strategies like pelvic floor exercises, overactive bladder medications, or electrical stimulation.

Women may also benefit from a pessary, an insertable silicone ring that goes into the vagina to support the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of your body. Surgery to repair weak pelvic floor muscles may be a last resort treatment when other strategies don’t work.

Urinary incontinence prevention tips

While not every case of urinary incontinence is preventable, there are steps you can take to prevent frequent or severe urine leaks.

Our urologists recommend:

Losing excess weight
Limiting caffeine and alcohol
Eating a fiber-rich, nutritious diet
Engaging in daily exercise

If you smoke, you can also ask our providers for resources to help you quit. In addition to causing a chronic cough that contributes to stress incontinence, smoking also irritates your bladder and can increase your risk for overactive bladder issues.

Call the Urology Specialist Group office in Miami Lakes or Hialeah, Florida, to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for urinary incontinence or book an appointment online today.