Living With Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is an inconvenient, sometimes embarrassing health problem. But living with incontinence can be made easier, if you're willing to put in just a little effort.

Here's how you can make living with incontinence easier:

Urinary Incontinence: You're Not Alone

About 12 million adults in the U.S. have some form of urinary incontinence. Women are affected more often than men. While incontinence is more common in older people, it affects younger people as well.

Among the most common types of urinary incontinence are stress incontinence, which can cause leaking urine when you laugh, cough, or sneeze as pressure is applied to your lower stomach muscles, and urge incontinence, in which you feel a sudden urge to urinate -- so sudden that it is often difficult to make it to the bathroom in time.

Educate Yourself About Urinary Incontinence

A number of reputable organizations can help you obtain credible information about urinary incontinence, including:

• The National Association for Continence is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that provides educational information about urinary incontinence, incontinence products and services, and can help you find a doctor who specializes in treating urinary incontinence.
• The American Urogynecologic Society is involved in research and education about incontinence and other urogynecologic conditions. They offer educational information about incontinence and referrals to urogynecologists -- gynecologists who have extra training in female urologic conditions.

Check Out Treatment Options for Urinary Incontinence

Treatment options for urinary incontinence are plentiful, and the outlook is far from dismal. About 80% of those who are affected by urinary incontinence can get better with treatment. But, to make living with urinary incontinence easier, you must seek help.

Treatment options depend on the type of incontinence you have and how severe it is. Sometimes a simple dietary change, such as cutting back on fluids, is all that is needed to put an end to urinary incontinence.

But more often, you will need a combination of approaches to get relief. For instance, for stress incontinence, you may be advised to do Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and use panty liners or pads to prevent excess leakage.

For more severe urinary incontinence, your doctor may recommend prescription medication or a surgical procedure, such as an operation designed to support the bladder and prevent leakage of urine, to make living with urinary incontinence more tolerable.