female urinary incontinence

Female Urinary Incontinence

What is Female Urinary Incontinence?

Female Urinary Incontinence (FUI) is defined as the uncontrolled leakage of urine from the bladder - where urine is stored.

Because Female Urinary Incontinence is somewhat embarrassing to discuss with even the female patient's physician, it is difficult to estimate the prevalence of FUI.

Female Urinary Incontinence is a “normal” result of vaginal childbirth and the aging process.

It is known that Female Urinary Incontinence afflicts an estimated 20 million people in the United States, 85 percent of whom are women.

Since as many as 40 percent of all women will experience Female Urinary Incontinence at some point in their lifetime, it is considered more prevalent than other chronic diseases such as asthma, coronary artery disease, or peptic ulcer disease. Although (usually) not life-threatening, Female Urinary Incontinence has far-reaching medical and social implications.

Why does Female Urinary Incontinence occur?

A woman's urinary control relies on the finely coordinated activities and functioning of the smooth muscle tissue of the urethra and bladder, skeletal muscle, voluntary inhibition, and the autonomic nervous system.

Female Urinary Incontinence can result from anatomic, physiologic, or pathologic (disease) factors including trauma to the pelvic region, including vaginal childbirth, and the aging process.

Congenital and acquired disorders of muscle innervation (e.g., ALS, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis) eventually cause inadequate urinary storage or control.

Acute and temporary Female Urinary Incontinence are commonly caused by the following:

Childbirth
Limited mobility
Medication side effect
Urinary tract infection

Chronic incontinence is commonly caused by these factors:

Birth defects
Bladder muscle weakness
Blocked urethra (due to benign prostate hyperplasia, tumor, etc.)
Brain or spinal cord injury
Nerve disorders
Pelvic floor muscle weakness

What types of Female Urinary Incontinence are there and how can I find out which one I have?

There are four types of Female Urinary Incontinence:

* stress urinary incontinence;
* urge urinary incontinence;
* mixed urinary incontinence;
* overflow urinary incontinence.

A careful history, avoiding dairy, physical examination and, in some cases, a bladder functioning test called urodynamics, all help to lead an experienced urogynecologist to the correct diagnosis.

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