Stress Urinary Incontinence Causes
A brief description of the causes of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) may help individuals who are unsure whether their own stress urinary incontinence is from a 'normal' cause or, conversely, due to medical negligence. The symptoms and problems presented by stress urinary incontinence are often quite troubling, and it's good to be aware of all possible stress urinary incontinence causes.
What Causes Stress Urinary Incontinence?
When urine leaks at moments of physical stress on the abdominal muscles, the incontinence is happening because of weakened muscles that support the bladder and the urethra. There are several things that can lead to the development of stress urinary incontinence, including:
- birth defects
- childbirth, pregnancy
- degenerative changes associated with aging
- infection
- injuries to the pelvic region or the spinal cord
- multiple sclerosis, poliomyelitis
- neurological diseases
- pelvic surgery
- complications after transvaginal mesh surgery
Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of stress urinary incontinence are the same for men and women, although among the millions of Americans who are dealing with SUI, women account for about 80 percent. The symptoms include the leakage of urine (whether a dribble or a significant amount) when a person:
- laughs
- stands up
- coughs
- suddenly exerts him- or herself
- sneezes
- engages in sexual activity
A person who has stress urinary incontinence may experience some or all of the above symptoms, or may not experience much in the way of symptoms at all. The symptoms may come and go; they may have started quite abruptly, or may take months or years to fully manifest.
Treatment Options
Sometimes people with stress urinary incontinence think that there's nothing that can be done to treat this condition, but that's not true. There are many treatment options, including:
- bladder retraining: scheduling voluntary urination at gradually larger intervals
- pelvic muscle rehabilitation (Kegel exercises)
- biofeedback therapy
- vaginal weight training
- pelvic floor stimulation
- magnetic therapy
- low-dose estrogen: to tone the tissues involved in urinary continence
- injections of collagen around the urethra
- surgery: such as sling procedures and bladder neck suspension
Complications after Transvaginal Mesh Surgery
If you're suffering from problems and symptoms of stress urinary incontinence after surgery, or if you've had surgery to treat stress urinary incontinence and are now experiencing other problems, our transvaginal mesh lawyers may be able to you. Vaginal mesh is sometimes used during surgery and can cause severe problems in some patients. To learn more, contact us today.