What to Know About Causes of Incontinence Leave a comment

Many people simply assume incontinence is just something that materializes out of thin air and is something they must deal with as it comes, not realizing that there are various causes of incontinence. Incontinence is generally separable into two distinct, though sometimes related types: stress incontinence and urge incontinence. Around one third of the U.S. population suffers from urinary incontinence. If you are finding it hard to pin down when and why incontinence hits you, then the below information will provide a helpful guide, allowing you to better predict and respond to incontinence.

Laughing is another major cause of incontinence

We’ve all heard the expression ‘laugh until you pee’ and may have even had it happen ourselves, or seen it happen to someone else. While it can be funny to imagine – even funny at the time, depending on the audience – laughter, especially keeled-over, can’t-breathe laughter can trigger and incontinence episode.

Changes in the bladder

The above two causes of incontinence are attributed to what is known as stress incontinence. Urge incontinence, however is quite different. There are a variety of causes behind urge incontinence, but it is more common in women and older adults. Causes of urge incontinence include bladder cancer, infection, nerve damage from spinal cord injury or stroke, a blockage in the bladder, or bladder stones.

Urge incontinence in men

There are unique causes of urge incontinence in men that women don’t have to worry about. An enlarged prostate can causes changes to the bladder, resulting in what is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. An enlarged prostate blocking urine from flowing from the bladder may also be the cause of male incontinence issues, making regulation of flow from the bladder difficult, resulting in incontinence.

Whether you have been living with incontinence issues for a while, or are wondering where they are all of a sudden coming from, there are explanation that should give you both clarity, and a better idea of how to go about managing it. For more information on the causes of incontinence, and a wide variety of products to help you manage it, visit MedProDirect today.

References

(2018). “Stress Incontinence.” Health Line. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/stress-incontinence

(2018). “Urge Incontinence.” Medline Plus. Retrieved from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001270.htm

(2018). “What is Urinary Incontinence?” Urology Health. Retrieved from: https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/urinary-incontinence