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Incontinence refers to involuntary release of bodily fluids, including faecal, urinary, and seminal. Urinary incontinence occurs when the bladder sphincter muscles fail to hold urine, resulting in leakage. There are two common forms: urge incontinence and stress incontinence. Incontinence can be a symptom of a larger medical condition and should be reported to a healthcare professional.
In general, the medical term incontinence refers to any involuntary release of bodily fluids, but many people strongly associate it with the inability to control urine flow. There are actually several forms: faecal, urinary and, in some cases, seminal. Doctors are more likely to define a patient’s condition as “faecal incontinence” or “stress urinary incontinence.” Some may actually have a condition called “mixed incontinence,” a combination of both fecal and urinary difficulties.
Urinary incontinence occurs when the sphincter muscles at the base of the bladder fail to hold the stream of urine. In healthy people, these sphincter muscles remain stiff until the urge to urinate becomes too strong to ignore. The bladder receives and stores urine from the kidneys up to a certain capacity, usually about 8 fluid ounces (236.5 mL). By this time, healthy people should hear the first signal to urinate. The bladder can continue to store urine up to about 16 fluid ounces (473.1 mL), when urination becomes a necessity.
Under normal circumstances, this signal to urinate is followed by a compression of the bladder wall muscles and a relaxation of the sphincter muscles. Urine flows down the urethra and eventually out of the body. People with urinary incontinence, however, may not be able to void (empty) all of their urine in one sitting, leaving some of it in the bladder itself. This can signal the sphincter muscles to involuntarily relax, resulting in urine leakage.
This continuous cycle of emptying a partially empty bladder is called urge incontinence. This condition is very common among women who are pregnant or have trouble reaching the bathroom on time. Older people also tend to develop it due to the aging process or surgical procedures. Men without prostate glands may also experience a form of urge incontinence.
The other common form is called stress incontinence. Anyone who has had involuntary urine leakage after laughing or coughing has experienced this condition. Pregnancy can also trigger a seizure as the uterus and other organs put pressure on the bladder. Many sufferers wear protective clothing to minimize the effects of accidents.
Incontinence is often just a symptom of a much larger medical condition. Urinary tract infections can cause temporary urge incontinence, as can removal of catheters after surgery. Medical professionals can prescribe overactive bladder medications that attempt to control the contractions of the bladder muscles. Attacks of incontinence, whether faecal or urinary, should be reported to a healthcare professional as soon as possible, as they could be an indication of a much more serious illness.
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