Our bladders are muscles that efficiently store and hold in our body’s waste materials and effectively release them once full. Urinary incontinence results when this same muscle weakens. Learn about overflow incontinence and its symptoms, as well as overflow incontinence treatment.
Some questions before we proceed. Do you:
– Urinate frequently?
– Need to strain when passing urine?
– Produce a weak stream of urine?
– Feel like you have not completely emptied?
– Dribble after urinating?
If you have three of these five symptoms, you should get yourself checked up by your doctor or preferably by a urologist. Four out of five, and you have to start testing for overflow incontinence. The list combines all the symptoms of what urologists refer to as Overflow Incontinence.
What Is Overflow Incontinence?
According to the Mayo Clinic, Overflow Incontinence is a type of urinary incontinence which results from a damaged bladder, a blocked urinary tract particularly in the urethra, nerve damage from diabetes or other causes, pelvic organ prolapsed in women, and possible prostate gland problems for men. Some types of medication also have side effects similar to overflow urinary incontinence, although the duration of the condition is short-term and is usually relieved after the medication is discontinued or the original health condition which required the medication is finally treated. Urinary tract infections also have the same effect although to a limited degree and only until the infection is cured.
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) mentions that this type of urinary incontinence is rare in women and is more prevalent in men, especially those who suffer from prostate gland problems. The symptoms basically point to a condition where it “feels” like the bladder never empties, hence the description “overflow”. According to the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (SUNA), frequent urination in the case of overflow urinary incontinence means urinating more than 8 times a day and more than 2 times a night. The symptoms indicate that the bladder could not hold or store urine the way it normally does, and that the urinary tract is blocked, which prevents the normal flow of urine.
Other types of bladder leakage include stress incontinence, urge incontinence, functional incontinence, and overactive bladder.
What Are Effective Overflow Incontinence Treatment Options?
Usual procedures done for overflow incontinence include management of symptoms. Surgery is not an option unless the cause is traced to a problem in the prostate gland. For a urethra that has been proven to be blocked, the condition is corrected through medication and some medical devices that are worn to strengthen the urethra.
As with all other health conditions, it’s best to consult with your doctor regarding treatment options that are open for your condition. Most of the time, treating a pre-existing health condition such as diabetes relieves some of the symptoms, and medical devices, medication, and behavior modification can help with in managing the symptoms.-