User:Barbara (WVS)/Sandbox
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Urinary incontinence is the uncontrolled leakage of urine. It is common and has a big effect a person's life.[1] It is an important problem in healthcare for older people.[2] Enuresis is incontinence in children. Nocturnal enuresis is bed wetting.[3] Urinary incontinence UI can can be a source of shame or stigmatization. It creates barriers to successful treatment and makes the problem worse.[4] People may be too embarrassed to seek medical help for urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence | |
---|---|
Other names | Involuntary urination |
Anatomy of the lower urinary tract and genital system. The top diagram shows the female urinary system, and the bottom shows the male urinary system. | |
Medical specialty | Urology, gynecology |
Pelvic surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause are major risk factors for urinary incontinence.[5] Urinary incontinence can be a symptom of another condition. It is common. Some people might not even tell their doctor about it.[6] There are four main types of urinary incontinence:[7]
- Urge incontinence due to an bladder problem
- Stress incontinence due to urethral sphincter muscle weakness[8]
- Overflow incontinence due to either weak bladder or blockage of the urethra
- Mixed incontinence involving features of different other types
Treatments for urinary incontinence include pelvic floor muscle training, bladder training, surgery, and electrical stimulation.[9] Councelling therapy works better than medication for stress and urge incontinence.[10] The benefit of medications is small and long term safety is unclear.[9] Urinary incontinence is more common in older women.[11]