?Plugging the Leak – Why Some Women Have Bladder Control Issues after Menopause

After your body stops having periods, it stops making the female hormone estrogen. Estrogen is responsible for how your body matures and develops. In addition, it affects your monthly menstruation cycle, and changes to your body during pregnancy and breastfeeding after pregnancy. Estrogen may also keep the lining of the bladder and urethra thick and healthy. Therefore, a lack of estrogen may weaken the muscles need to control bladder functions.

If urinary muscles are in a weakened state, it will be easy for urine to leak out when you cough, sneeze or lift heavy objects. This type of leakage is called stress incontinence and is one of the most common bladder control problems in women going through menopause.

Other types of bladder control problems that are common in older women are caused by infections or nerve damage from diabetes or strokes. Heart problems and medications that are being taken as a result may contribute to bladder control problems in women going through h menopause. A difficulty in walking or moving, or an over all feeling of depression may also play a role in urinary disorders.

Another common bladder control problem in women going through menopause is urgency incontinence. This is caused by the bladder muscles squeezing at inappropriate times, often resulting in leakage.

If you experience bladder control problems after menopause, it is important to consult your doctor to rule out any other serious medical problems.

Doctors may recommend a number of ways to treat urinary control problems. First, they can make dietary changes to minimize incontinence. This means avoiding bladder irritants such as alcohol and caffeine. It is also helpful to limit your overall intake of fluids to less than 2 quarts daily.

Another treatment involves behavioral changes. These include bladder training, which attempts to increase the time interval between urinating. Or time voiding which sets urination on a schedule, this treatment works well for people with disabilities that may prevent them from getting to the bathroom on time. Absorbent devices such as disposable diapers or underwear shields are often required to manage incontinence.

If behavioral treatment is ineffective, the patient may need to be given medication to control the incontinence. Mechanical aids such as catheters my also be used to control bladder control problems that appear after menopause. These are hollow tubes inserted through the urethra into the bladder to drain urine. Urethral inserts are tubes that are inserted into the urethra to block urine leakage.

In extreme cases and when all other treatment options have failed, surgery may be required to correct bladder control problems. The surgery may reposition a bladder that has dropped.

No matter which treatment method is decided on, it is important to seek out medical help. Urinary incontinence can be a sign of a more serious health problem such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis. Also if left untreated urinary incontinence may cause you to limit your physical or social activities. This withdrawal may lead to feelings of isolation and depression.

When seeking help you can turn to your family doctor or nurse. You can visit an urologist who specializes in urinary disorders. You can seek out your gynecologist who specializes in problems with the female system. Or you may need to visit a urogynecologists who specializes in women’s bladder or urine problems. If none of these physicians can help you might try a continence nurse who will visit you at home and often can teach you pelvic muscle exercise programs.

If after consulting a physician you would like to talk about your problem with others going through the same thing you may try joining a support group or call a toll free support number, There are also a variety of pamphlets and videos available to provide you with answers to some of your questions.

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