Light bladder leakage (LBL) is a condition that’s more common than you think. Read on to learn more about LBL and how to stay dry and worry-free.
Light bladder leakage or LBL has been found to afflict almost one in three women over the age of 35. It’s a condition that affects the body’s urinary tract, resulting in bladder weakness and urinary leakage. Bladder leakage sometimes happens in pregnant women during their last trimester, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly when it occurs under normal circumstances. Light bladder leakage can be your body’s temporary response to a urinary tract infection; however, if the leakage is becoming so persistent that you have to start wearing pads even when it’s not your period, then you need to take the first step in getting help by learning more about this health condition.
What is Light Bladder Leakage?
Our bladders are made of muscles that store our body’s liquid waste – in this case, urine – and hold it until the bladders are full and ready to expel the waste material. Bladders usually store around 2 cups of this waste material, which gets expelled around four to eight times in a day depending on your liquid intake and other biological and dietary factors. Ideally, you have control over when the bladder releases urine so you can actually hold it off until you’re ready and near a proper facility. Ideally, too, your bladder muscles will release urine until you’re completely emptied.
In the case of light bladder leakage, either or both of these ideal scenarios do not happen. Instead, you find that some urine – and here, the amount varies from a few drops to a complete emptying of the bladder, depending on severity – escapes immediately after you feel the urge to pee and before you had time to sit down and do it. Some women also experience dribbling after they thought they had completely emptied. This loss of bladder control can be inconvenient and, in severe bladder problems, can be completely debilitating.
What Light Bladder Leakage is not
One of the reasons women fail to seek a permanent solution to their urinary incontinence is because of persistent bladder leakage myths. Now that we’ve described what light bladder leakage is, let’s talk about what it’s not.
Light bladder leakage is not normal. Urologists and Urogynecologists agree that urinary incontinence, while not a disease per se, is a clear indication of a health problem that affects not just the urinary tract but other organs and bodily functions as well.
The Mayo Clinic would add that light bladder leakage at any age is not normal (except for babies), so there’s no reason to think that these “accidents” happen with advanced age; as a matter of fact, the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (SUNA) revealed that LBL happens in younger women particularly in athletes who engage in certain high-impact sports such as aerobics, running, and gymnastics that may affect the female body’s pelvic floor muscles.
Finally, a leaky bladder is not a problem you should be dealing with in silence. Doctors are aware of this condition and are trained to make sure you get the best attention while seeking treatment. Treatment options are usually lifestyle-related and only severe cases require surgery. Talk to your doctor now so you can get the relief you deserve from your bladder problem.