Incontinence and Womens Health Physiotherapy Townsville
Types and Causes of Incontinence:
Incontinence is the accidental or involuntary loss of urine from the bladder (urinary incontinence), or bowel motion (faeces) or wind (flatus) from the bowel (faecal or bowel incontinence).
- Stress Incontinence Townsville is urine leakage during physical exertion or effort from weak or tried pelvic floor muscles (such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising, walking or when lifting). Chronic coughing, constipation, being overweight, post-menopausal women, after prostrate surgery in males, pregnancy and childbirth strain the pelvic floor and can eventually lead to stress incontinence.
- Urge Incontinence is the sudden, strong urge to pass urine or rush to the toilet without much warning causing them to wet themselves.This can be caused from an Overactive Bladder which can occur at any age.
- Overflow/ Chronic Retention Incontinence occurs when urine leaks out from an already over-full bladder from an obstruction. The bladder does not empty fully, as such urine continues to fill the bladder, which then overflows without warning or sensation. Causes for obstructions: blockage to urethra by hard faeces from our back passage (rectum), enlarged prostate in men, prolapse (sagging) of pelvic organs, and certain medicines that interfere with bladder function.
- Functional Incontinence occurs when physically you are unable to make it to the toilet in time before you wet yourself due to recent decline in function, injury or illness.
- Neurological conditions can interfere with the brain’s ability to send messages via the spinal cord affecting the person’s ability to hold and store urine in their bladder.
- Mixed Incontinence is generally a combination of both Stress and Urge Incontinence.
Bladder and Bowel Control:
- Do you sometimes get the feeling of not completely emptying your bladder?
- Do you have to rush to use the toilet?
- Are you nervous because you think you might lose control of your bladder or bowel?
- Are you wake up twice or more during the night to go to the toilet?
- Is leaking before you go to the toilet an issue?
- Do you sometimes soil your underwear?
- Is your daily routine planned around where the nearest toilet is?
- Do you leak when you laugh or sneeze?
- Do you leak when you lift something heavy?
- Is leaking when you play sport an issue?
- Do you leak when you change from a seated or lying position to a standing position?
- Are you straining to empty your bowels?
Answering YES to ANY of these questions may indicate that you have a bladder or bowel control problem which can cause incontinence or urinary incontinence.
Incontinence should not be thought of as normal at any age and requires professional attention. Incontinence won’t get better on its own – small problems can get bigger. A continence assessment is needed to work out what is happening and to organise a treatment plan. Which improves management- often leading to a cure. Pelvic floor muscle exercises must be done correctly to be useful this is where a continence physiotherapist can help you. Don’t let this get on top of you seek help from TPM’s Continence Physiotherapist Lizzy.
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