Incontinence Problems

Urinary and fecal incontinence are embarrassing conditions, but they are highly treatable. Generally, drugs and lifestyle change are all that's needed to bring you back to a more normal life, free, for the most part, of mortifying "accidents."

Types

• Urinary incontinence is the inappropriate relaxation of pelvic floor muscles which allows urine to leak out of your bladder. Fecal incontinence occurs when you cannot control your bowels, and fecal matter leaks out of your rectum.

Considerations

• Urinary incontinence is generally considered to be a symptom of a disease, such as a urinary tract infection, an enlarged prostate, or bladder cancer. Fecal incontinence can be due to constipation, an injury or simply aging.

Features

• There are also a number of other factors, other than disease, that can cause urinary incontinence. Some of these are drinking alcohol, too much caffeine, drugs or dehydration.

Identification

• There is also a condition called stress incontinence, where your bladder leaks when you do something such as sneeze, lift a heavy object or even laugh too hard.

Warning

• Although talking about urinary incontinence can be embarrassing, it's important to see your doctor about it, because the condition can be a symptom of a more serious disease.