Frequently Asked Questions About Stress Urinary IncontinenceWhat causes stress urinary incontinence (SUI)? Is SUI an inevitable part of the aging process? Is incontinence a natural part of bearing children? Can my SUI be treated even if I plan to have more children? Am I too old to be treated for incontinence? How do I know if I’m incontinent? How can I find a doctor who treats incontinence? What causes stress urinary incontinence (SUI)? Stress urinary incontinence is a sign of an underlying condition often characterized by one or more of the following:
For women, these conditions may be influenced by a number of factors that can lead to incontinence, including:
In men, stress incontinence generally results from previous surgical procedures (such as a radical prostatectomy, the removal of a diseased prostate) or accidental trauma. Return to the top of the page Is SUI an inevitable part of the aging process? While SUI is common in older people, it is not a natural or inevitable part of the aging process. In fact, millions of older people naturally maintain their continence while millions more have been helped with successful procedures. Return to the top of the page Is incontinence a natural part of bearing children? Pregnancy and childbirth take a toll on a woman’s body. The months of extra weight in the pelvis and the stretching and possible tearing of tissues during delivery have been known to damage structures that help support the bladder and maintain control of urine. Having babies may contribute to incontinence, but it doesn’t mean you have to be incontinent. Today’s treatments offer excellent success rates; and many women who started leaking after childbirth are dry today. Return to the top of the page Can my SUI be treated even if I plan to have more children? Absolutely. Minimally invasive bulking therapy has helped hundreds of thousands of women restore continence. And it doesn’t preclude the possibility of having surgery at a later date. Return to the top of the page Am I too old to be treated for incontinence? You’re never too old to receive medical attention for incontinence. The types of incontinence older people have, and their responses to treatment are quite similar to younger patients. Return to the top of the page How do I know if I’m incontinent? Only a trained specialist like a gynecologist, urologist or uro-gynecologist can diagnose SUI. However, if you can answer "Yes" to any of the following questions, you may be experiencing urinary incontinence. During a typical day, do you leak even small amounts of urine? Do you leak urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh or exercise? Do you often have such a strong urge to urinate that you experience leakage before you reach the toilet? Are you experiencing leakage after surgery? Return to the top of the page How can I find a doctor who treats incontinence? Your primary care physician can refer you to a gynecologist, uro-gynecologist or urologist who can help diagnose and treat urinary incontinence. Return to the top of the page
This site is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Only your physician can diagnose and appropriately treat your symptoms. |
