Concerned about bladder control?

Bladder control affects the way a person holds or releases urine. Accidental loss or leaking of urine is called urinary incontinence. According to the National Institutes of Health, bladder control problems are common, especially in women. In fact, researchers estimate that approximately half of all women experience a common bladder control problem in their lifetime.¹

Don’t feel embarrassed to talk with your doctor about bladder control. He or she will ask about your family and medical history and give you a physical exam. During the exam, he or she will look for any medical problem that may lead to accidental urine loss.

Depending on the type of urinary incontinence you have, your doctor may recommend steps you can take on your own to try to control your symptoms. These include lifestyle changes such as doing pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegel exercises), training your bladder to urinate on a schedule, drinking the right amount of liquid before bedtime, and staying physically active.

Remember, it’s important to talk with your doctor. He or she can help find the cause of your bladder control problem and then address it.

Urinary incontinence can also be a symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Know the signs and speak with your doctor if you are experiencing:

• Pain or burning when urinating.
• An urge to urinate often, but not much comes out when you go.
• Pressure in your lower abdomen.
• Urine that smells bad or looks milky or cloudy.
• Blood in the urine. This is more common in younger women. If you see blood in your urine, tell a doctor or nurse right away.
• Feeling tired, shaky, confused, or weak. This is more common in older women.
• Having a fever, which may mean the infection has reached your kidneys.

Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat a UTI. You may feel better in one or two days. Make sure to finish taking all of the antibiotics as prescribed, even if you feel better after a day or two. If treated right away, a UTI is not likely to damage your urinary tract. But if your UTI is not treated, the infection can spread to the kidneys and other parts of your body.

Source

Lee UJ, Feinstein L, Ward JB, et al. Prevalence of urinary incontinence among a nationally representative sample of women, 2005–2016: findings from the Urologic Diseases in America Project. Journal of Urology. 2021; 205(6):1718–1724.