Urinary Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the loss of control over one’s bladder. This means that the person has the tendency to urinate unintentionally. It is a common and often an uncomfortable problem. The severity varies from occasionally leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to persistent conditions that can still be treated.
Dr Michael Wong
Medically reviewed by Dr Michael Wong, Medical Director & Senior Consultant Urologist
FAMS (Urology), FICS (USA), FRCS (Edinburgh), M Med (Surgery), MBBS (S’pore)
Female Urinary Incontinence

What Causes
Female Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence usually happens when the regular process of storing and transporting of urine outside the body is interrupted, but it can also occur due to other reasons and factors. It can either be temporary or persistent.
Dr Michael Wong is skilled in the treatment of urinary incontinence; and has a subspecialty Fellowship in Female Urology and Neurology (USA) under his belt.
To arrange a consultation, please contact our clinic today.
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Ultra-processed Food (UPF)

Temporary Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence may happen all of a sudden and then go away after a short period of time. Certain drinks and foods may increase the volume of urine and stimulate your bladder. These consist of:

Foods that are high in spice, sugar or acid (citrus fruits)

Large doses of vitamin C

Alcohol

Caffeine

Carbonated drinks

Artificial sweeteners

Chocolate

Chilli peppers

Persistent Urinary Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence may continue on a long-term basis and become a persistent condition. This may be caused by physical problems like:

Childbirth

Vaginal delivery can damage the bladder nerves and supportive tissue that controls the bladder. It can also weaken the pelvic floor muscles, resulting in an overactive bladder. Having an overactive bladder means the person urinates more than usual as the bladder has uncontrollable spasms.

Ageing

he ageing of the bladder muscle can reduce the bladder's capacity to store urine. This means that as you get older, involuntary bladder contractions become recurrent.

Menopause

After menopause, women produce less oestrogen - a kind of hormone that retains the lining of the bladder and urethra in good physical shape. Lack of oestrogen causes the pelvic muscles to deteriorate and may not be able to control the bladder.

Hysterectomy

Any surgery that involves a woman's reproductive system like the removal of the uterus, may hurt the supporting pelvic floor muscles and cause an incontinence.
Woman in pain holding belly stomach

Actions That May Trigger Urinary Incontinence

Coughing

Sneezing

Laughing

Heavy lifting

Exercise

A sudden change in position

The sound of running water (for some people)

Sex (especially during orgasm)

Treatments for Stress and/or Urge Urinary Incontinence

Every treatment depends on the type and severity of the symptoms. Some cases can be treated by a simple change in habits that may prevent the actions that trigger urinary incontinence.
Aside from this, here are some of the other treatments for stress urinary incontinence:
Kidneys with bladder anatomy on doctor hands

Exercises

Pelvic floor exercises can tighten the muscles that help control urination. You can try doing Kegel exercises by contracting your muscles, holding it for 5 seconds and releasing it after about 5 seconds as well. You can also try doing squats by standing in an upright position and dropping down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, maintaining the weight in your heels and bowing the knees a little outward.

Bladder Training

Bladder training helps the patient slowly gain back control over their bladder. These are the following techniques for bladder training.

  • Postponing the Event

    - The patient learns how to delay urination whenever there is an impulse to do so. The aim is to control the urge.
  • Scheduled Toilet Trips

    - The patient learns to set a toilet time during the day, e.g. going every 2 hours. This strengthens the bladder as it learns to control the urge to urinate.

Medications

If you choose to have medications, exercises and bladder training are still necessary. Here are some of the medications that are prescribed to treat urinary incontinence:

  • Anticholinergics and newer oral therapy are now available to calm an overcharged bladder.
  • Topical oestrogen, which reinforces tissue in the urethra and vaginal areas, which maintains the muscular and connective tissues.
  • Imipramine, which reduces the number of times you leak urine.

Surgery for Urinary Incontinence

Surgery is suggested if the other treatments and rehabilitations have not been effective. Some of the surgical treatments include the following:

Sling Procedures

This supports the urethra to stop urine from leaking out by inserting a mesh under the neck of the bladder.

Artificial Sphincter

an artificial sphincter is inserted from the bladder into the urethra to control the flow of urine.
Let us help you
Restore your urological health.
Make an appointment with Dr Michael Wong to receive a tailored, supportive and targeted care plan.
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