Age & Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is a common side effect of getting older. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 38 percent of women and 17 percent of men over the age of 60 suffer from some form of urinary incontinence. However, despite its prevalence among the elderly, incontinence routinely affects people at any age. This condition can be embarrassing, but it is usually treatable.

Definition

• Persons with urinary incontinence are unable to fully control their bladder. In a normally functioning bladder, the muscles of the bladder remain firmly shut, preventing built-up urine in the bladder from passing through the urethra and exiting the body. However, when these muscles are weak or subjected to stress (as when laughing, coughing or sneezing), the muscles can open prematurely, causing the urine to leak out. In mild cases of incontinence, a person may pass only a few drops of urine before regaining control of the muscles. In severe cases, a person cannot control his bladder muscles at all.

Causes

• Incontinence has many causes, including age. According the Mayo Clinic, as a person ages, her bladder muscles are less able to store urine and more likely to become overactive (triggering a sudden urge to urinate). In addition, incontinence may be aggravated in women who have gone through menopause as the lack of estrogen in the postmenopausal years can hasten the deterioration of tissues lining the bladder and urethra. Age is not the only cause for incontinence, however. Incontinence may also be caused by a urinary tract infection, certain medications, pregnancy and childbirth, hysterectomy, Parkinson's disease, an enlarged prostate, constipation or the excess consumption of caffeine, alcohol, water or other fluids.

Types of Incontinence

• Incontinence generally falls into four categories. Stress incontinence occurs when the bladder muscles leak urine after being subjected to stress such as laughing, coughing, sneezing or lifting a heavy object. Urge incontinence occurs when you cannot hold your urine long enough to reach the toilet. Overflow incontinence is when a small amount of urine leaks from a constantly full bladder. Functional incontinence is when some physical factor, such as arthritis, prevents you from reaching the toilet in a timely manner. Many older people suffer from functional incontinence even if they otherwise have normal bladder control.

Treatment

• There are a variety of treatment options available for persons suffering from incontinence, although the appropriate treatment depends upon the cause and the severity of the problem. A common therapy is bladder training in which patients reeducate the bladder muscles through pelvic floor exercises and learn to control and delay bladder voiding. Other treatment forms include medication, injections, urethral or vaginal inserts or lifestyle changes (e.g., losing weight, drinking less caffeine or alcohol, avoiding heavy lifting). In severe cases of incontinence, surgery may be the most appropriate alternative.

Prevention

• Incontinence is not always preventable, particularly when it is age-related. However, you may be able to decrease the likelihood of becoming incontinent by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Maintain a healthy weight, exercise, eat ample amounts of fiber, avoid foods and drinks that may irritate the bladder and, especially important for pregnant women, do Kegel exercises (tightening and relaxing the muscles of the pelvic floor) every day.