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Topics presented at our live & learn programs: information & screenings to help you stay healthy
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Nobody wants to talk about it. But at least 13 million people in this country suffer from bladder control problems. Although the disorder affects many older people, it is NOT a normal part of the aging process. Most adult cases occur in women; however, all older adults are susceptible to urinary incontinence. It can be caused by many reasons including infection, side effects of medicine, bladder weakness, hormone imbalance and immobility. In most cases the condition can be treated successfully.
The most common type of urinary incontinence is stress incontinence and occurs in women who have recently gone through childbirth or pelvic surgery. Other types are urge incontinence, overflow incontinence and functional incontinence.
People experiencing bladder control problems should not hesitate to let their physician know about it. The physician will to do a medical history, physical examination and possibly diagnostic tests. The patient may be asked to keep a bladder diary and may be referred to a specialist. Treatment options fall into four general categories: behavioral, devices, medications and surgery. Usually, the least expensive and least invasive are tried first with surgery as a last resort.
The good news is that most people treated for urinary incontinence see significant improvement in their condition. The most important thing to remember is to see your doctor as soon as possible for an evaluation. Silence is not the answer!
There are many sources in the Moses Taylor HealthInfo Library that will help you understand urinary incontinence. The library has several books on the topic that may be borrowed. We can mail you free of charge two reports written in non-technical language about the disorder. All of these sources describe the types of incontinence, causes and the various forms of treatment. Call the library at 340-2555 to have the reports mailed to you or to ask about library hours to visit the facility to borrow the books.