Bladder Control Problems and Effective Medications

If you’re a parent then you know that nighttime bed wetting is a common occurrence in children. However, the case is different if it occurs in adults. Although there are similar cases wherein adults suffer from bed wetting and can still be considered a normal circumstance due to psychological factors, most of the time, these instances should be taken into consideration as a possible bladder control problem, medically referred to as “urinary incontinence”. Having this condition may not pose serious health risks but it can seriously affect the quality of life of a person, including the self-esteem and the self-confidence.

So what causes urinary incontinence?

There are a number of reasons that leads to urinary incontinence in all ages, not only in young children and older adults. Polyuria, a medical term used to describe superfluous urine production, can be a common cause of urinary incontinence. The patient has an increase in urgency and frequency but it doesn’t necessarily result to incontinence. Nevertheless, polyuria is also brought about by underlying medical conditions including diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, drinking too many fluids, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and central diabetic insipidus.

Drinking caffeine drinks or cola beverages are also known to stimulate the bladder, increasing urinary urge and frequency. In men, having an enlarged prostate after the age of 40 years old is known to cause prostate cancer and urinary incontinence. Other medical disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis and spina bifida can also cause urinary bladder control problems.

Types of urinary incontinence

Aside from the importance of determining the causes of urinary incontinence, it is also additional knowledge to learn about the different types of this bladder control problem. The first type is the urge incontinence, which is referred to as the loss of urine without any reason all the while feeling the urge to urinate.  Another type is the stress incontinence, which is brought about by the lack or insufficiency of the strength of the pelvic floor muscles. The overflow incontinence occurs when people cannot control their bladders from releasing urine as it continues to dribble even after they have urinated. Meanwhile, the mixed incontinence is a common type of incontinence in the older adult female population brought about by urinary retention.

Another type of urinary incontinence is the structural incontinence. This type is commonly diagnosed in childhood and is typically brought about by gynecologic or obstetric trauma that leads to fistulas. These fistulas cause an obstruction to the passage of urine in the urinary tract. The functional incontinence, on the other hand, is not brought about by problems in the urinary tract itself but on other causes. For instance, the patient failed to make it to the bathroom due to confusion, poor eyesight, dementia, poor dexterity and poor mobility. This is typically the case for those who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease as they find it difficult to move around or go towards a certain place without the risk of being considerably confused. Bedwetting is considered to be another type of urinary incontinence, although it is a normal occurrence for young children. The transient incontinence is a temporary incontinence, which are mainly the result of mental impairment, stool impaction, restricted mobility, adrenal insufficiency and medications. The last but definitely not the least is the giggle incontinence, which is an involuntary reaction to laughter and often strikes children.

Diagnostic tests

People suspected to suffer from bladder control problems should visit a medical practitioner who specializes in the field of genitourinary system. For instance, urologists, gynecologists and urogynecologists are experts in this field of study. To be able to properly diagnose the possible illness, the medical practitioner will take the health history, the complaint, the drugs that have been used and other important factors that might have resulted to urinary incontinence.

Physical examination will also be done to determine the health of certain areas of the body and to pinpoint the possible cause of the urinary incontinence including possible blockade of the urinary tract, poor reflexes, poor muscle tone and stool impaction. Tests will also be done to determine the cause including a urinalysis, blood tests, cystoscopy, urodynamics, ultrasound and a stress test. The patients will also be asked to keep track of their urinating pattern and the amount of urine voided.

Effective treatment methods and medications

Aside from pharmacologic interventions, lifestyle and diet changes are also discussed in order to prevent the exacerbation of bladder control problems. It is important to keep fluid intake to a regular and normal level as drinking too much or too little can only make the incontinence worse. Another factor to remember is to prevent drinking bladder stimulating beverages such as cola, alcohol or caffeine drinks that are so popular nowadays. Another treatment method utilized to decrease urinary incontinence is to enforce bladder training. This is specifically beneficial for those who are always with the urge to urinate as it helps you create a pattern and timing for voiding.

Now, it is also important to discuss the various medications that are utilized to control urinary incontinence. The first type of medication includes the anticholinergics, which works by blocking the action of the acetylcholine. The acetylcholine is a chemical messenger commonly responsible for the unusual bladder contractions that cause the urge incontinence. Examples of anticholinergics are Tolterodine, Darifenacin, Oxybutynin, Solifenacin, Trospium and Fesoterodine. However, anticholinergic drugs are known to cause dry mouth and other less common side effects such as rapid heartbeat, urinary retention, flushed face, heartburn, blurry vision, impaired memory, confusion and constipation.

Estrogen, a hormone in all actuality, is another drug used for people suffering from urinary incontinence. The female’s urethra and bladder have receptors for estrogen. Providing supplemental estrogen can help strengthen the supportive tissues around the bladder and urethra, which prevents stress incontinence. The use of estrogen does not pose any side effects if used correctly.

The last but also a commonly used medication for urinary incontinence is the tricyclic depressant called Imipramine. It relaxes the bladder muscles while simultaneously making the smooth muscles found in the bladder neck contract. This is one of the reasons why it is primarily used to treat mixed incontinence. Nevertheless, care should be taken while taking this drug as it may cause dizziness, fainting, reduced blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.

Bladder control problems should be addressed by a medical professional as soon as possible to avoid any complications that may occur in the future.