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Urinary Incontinence
It is estimated that more than 25 million Americans experience urinary incontinence, the inability to control or hold their urine. The condition affects all ages and both sexes, although it is far more prevalent in women than men.
Incontinence is a result of a medical condition, and a physician should always be consulted to determine its cause. If you are experiencing incontinence, rest assured it can usually be cured, treated, or adequately managed, allowing you to resume a healthy, productive and active lifestyle.
Types of Incontinence
Urge incontinence, also called an overactive bladder, results when your bladder contracts without your control. You may feel as if you simply can’t wait to get to a bathroom. At times, urine may leak without any warning. It is often caused by an infection that irritates the bladder lining or damage to the nerves that control the bladder.
Stress incontinence allows urine to leak when you strain or stress the abdomen by coughing, sneezing, laughing or even walking. This condition is often due to poor bladder support by the pelvic muscles or a weak or damaged sphincter.
Mixed incontinence is a combination of both stress and urge symptoms.
Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder becomes so full that it simply overflows. This happens when bladder weakness or a blocked urethra prevents normal emptying. An enlarged prostate can cause such a blockage, making overflow incontinence more frequent in men than women.
A Conservative Treatment Option
Most people with urge, stress or mixed incontinence achieve significant results through physical therapy. With no risk of side effects or complications, it is the most conservative treatment option available. At St. Anthony’s Medical Center, your physical therapy program may consist of a variety of treatment options:
- Initial evaluation, which may include an internal examination
- Education, including keeping a bladder diary
- Exercise to strengthen the pelvic muscles, improving pelvic muscle weakness in 85 to 90 percent of all cases
- Biofeedback and/or electrical stimulation
- Progressive weight training for vaginal muscles
- Instruction on retraining the bladder
After four to six physical therapy sessions, most patients begin to see results and are able to continue their progress through an ongoing, self-managed exercise regime. Some people, however, do not meet all of their goals through physical therapy alone. These patients may benefit from medication along with physical therapy or a surgical procedure followed by physical therapy.
Starting A Program
If you believe you would benefit from physical therapy for incontinence, call St. Anthony’s Medical Center at 314-849-2366 to schedule an evaluation visit. To participate, you will need a prescription from your physician, including your diagnosis, as well as verification of coverage from your insurance company. St. Anthony’s Medical Center is a member of the National Association for Continence.
Locations
| Lamplighter Square 12692 Lamplighter Square St. Louis, MO 63128 314-849-2366 |
Fenton Urgent Care Center 714 Gravois Road Fenton, MO 63026 636-326-6125 |
For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit our find a physician online.
At St. Anthony's, our vision is to be the area's premier health care organization — and your first choice for health care services.