Urinary Incontinence
Almost half of menopausal women suffer from urinary incontinence, but that doesn’t make it any easier to face. Urinary incontinence is the inability to hold your urine. While there are several types, only three of these are usually found in conjunction with menopause.
Urge incontinence is the frequent, sudden, uncontrollable “gotta-go” feeling, generally followed by a bladder contraction that causes involuntary urination—potentially before you can make it to the bathroom. Overflow incontinence is characterized by the inability to empty the bladder, even when you’re trying. This means the bladder more or less constantly leaks because it’s overflowing. The most common type of incontinence, however, is stress incontinence. “Stress” in this instance refers to physical stressors on the body, from lifting heavy objects to everyday activities like sneezing, laughing, and coughing, which result in involuntary leakage from the bladder.
While there are several causes of incontinence not related to menopause, incontinence caused by menopause is virtually always thanks to abnormal estrogen levels. Along with its other duties, estrogen helps with muscle strength. Weak bladder muscles make it more difficult to control urine, and they will already be having trouble because estrogen assists with urinary health. This means the risk of developing a urinary tract infection is higher, which will also interfere with bladder control. In tandem with other causes of female urinary incontinence, like having given birth in the past or weight gain, incontinence is a problem that can persist even after menopause is over.
There are a variety of methods for managing urinary incontinence. Pelvic floor exercises (also called kegel exercises) can help promote strength and control. Bladder training can also help. This is accomplished by forcing yourself to hold your urine for increasing lengths of time. Try scheduling trips to the bathroom every few hours, instead of waiting until the urge strikes. Urinating twice in a row in a short period of time to ensure maximum voiding can also help some types of incontinence.
To further alleviate urinary incontinence during menopause, avoid cigarette smoking, caffeine, and any foods you notice increase the need to urinate. Pessaries are small, ring-shaped inserts that provide extra support to a weak bladder or pelvic floor, which can decrease the excess need to urinate. There are also a variety of medications and surgical options that may be available in some situations, from hormone replacement therapy to anticholinergics that calm down a bladder’s overactivity.
Did you know...
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- Does your job make you stressed? We all know that stress is psychologically bad for you, but it also has an effect on…your allergies? A Harvard Medical School study has shown that stress causes your allergies to become worse because your body's defense response loses efficacy when repeatedly triggered by stress. Then, when you really need to physically fight something off, you're less able to!
- Starting to feel claustrophobic? The smells of apples may help keep your claustrophobic feelings at bay according to a 1995 study by Dr. Alan Hirsch. Green apples, specifically, helped people change their perception of their space. Maybe they thought of expansive apple orchards? Cucumbers and barbecue made the feelings worse.
- Just saying the words "thank you" can measurably improve your mood. Researchers can actually measure happiness and changes in brain structure when people practiced regular "grateful thinking." This included things like writing thank you notes, writing gratitude journal entries, mindfully counting their blessings, and thanking friends. It may be helpful in overcoming depression!