Many men and women suffer from incontinence and a weak bladder. Although this medical condition is treatable, most people are very embarrassed to discuss this situation with their doctor. Almost never do the victims of incontinence talk to friends or family about this condition. The stigma of being seen as weak and imperfect + the nature of the topic can be very embarrassing for anyone suffering from Incontinence.
What are the two main types of Incontinence? Incontinence has two basic types: Fecal Incontinence and Urinary incontinence.
Urinary Incontinence
This is the most common type of Incontinence. Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. This medical condition can happen to anyone, but it is more common with older men and in women. Incontinence can happen in any age, but usually starts somewhere during the 50s of a victim. Some symptoms include mild leaking and uncontrollable urinal wetting. These embarrassing symptoms might be due to problems such as weak bladder muscles, overactive bladder, or blockage from an enlarged prostate, damage to nerves that control the bladder, and diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
There are four types of urinary incontinence: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, and functional incontinence. The options for treatment for urinary incontinence depend on its type. Treatment options include Kegel exercises, bladder training, medications, and even surgery. Most health care providers pick up the cost for the treatments.
Most bladder control problems happen when the bladder muscles are too weak or over-active. If the muscles that keep the bladder closed are too weak, a patient may have (urinal) accidents when she sneezes, laughs or has to lift a very heavy object. This is a type of stress related incontinence. If bladder muscles become too active, you may feel a strong urge to go to the bathroom when you have little urine in your bladder. This is urge incontinence or overactive bladder.
Fecal Incontinence
What is Fecal Incontinence? The lesser known type of Incontinence is fecal incontinence. Fecal continence is a medical condition characterized by leaking or poorly controlled bowel movements. In the United States, more than 6 million Americans are suffering from fecal incontinence. Like urinary incontinence this medical condition can affect people of all ages. But according to modern research and studies, fecal incontinence is more common in women than in men and more common in older adults than in younger people.
Fecal incontinence can have several causes. These include (but are not limited to) muscle damage, particularly to the anal sphincter muscle; nerve damage, loss of storage capacity in the rectum; diarrhea; and pelvic floor dysfunction.
What are common symptoms for fecal incontinence? Loss of bowel control, diarrhea, and leaking bowel movements are some of the better known symptoms of fecal incontinence. If you experience these kind of symptoms, you should never ignore them or mistaken as just a part of a loose bowel movement. Please consult with your primary care physician for medical advice and for early diagnosis and treatment. Various treatments for fecal incontinence are available and include diet changes, drugs and medications, bowel training, and surgery.
About the Author
Brenda T. Watson is a well-known writer and author. She consistently is thriving to provide free information and helpful advice about different topics. Brenda is currently writing about female incontinence.
