Women have their fair share of bladder health issues in America today accounting for more than half of all those diagnosed. Two common diagnosis that affect women more than men is interstitial cystitis and urinary incontinence.
Interstitial cystitis is a chronic, severe condition of the urinary bladder which is typically characterized by excessive frequency and urgency to void, burning pain with urination, pelvic pain, pain with intercourse and negative urine cultures.
There are currently several theories to explain the onset of I.C. The following is a list of possible, valid theories; however, there is currently no one consensus on the origin of this condition.
Many people with I.C. have one thing in common, painful pelvic floor spasms and trigger points. This alone can contribute to pelvic pain, urgency/frequency symptoms, pain with intercourse and pain or difficulty with urination. There are effective treatments provided by a women's health physical therapist trained in pelvic floor dysfunction for women who suffer with I.C. Some common, beneficial techniques include biofeedback/EMG, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, dietary education, bladder retraining and TENS.
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Urinary Incontinence is the accidental loss of urine that affects one's social and/or hygienic well-being. There are five subcategories of urinary incontinence: Stress, Urge, Mixed, Overflow and Functional.
Stress U.I. is the accidental loss of urine due to increased abdominal pressure, such as when laughing, coughing, sneezing, exercising or lifting. This is the most common type of incontinence for women of all ages.
Urge U.I. occurs when sudden, inappropriate bladder contractions create a premature sense to void followed by the involuntary loss of urine. Essentially, someone with urge incontinence will feel the urge to urinate but will not be able to make it to the bathroom in time.
Mixed U.I. is any variation of Stress and Urge symptoms
Overflow U.I. is the uncontrollable loss of urine secondary to an outlet obstruction, such as enlarged prostate or urethral obstruction. This is much more prevalent in men than women.
Functional U.I. is defined by the accidental loss of urine as a result of physical or mental impairments. Consequently, the individual has incontinence because they lacks the ability to reach the toilet in time.
There are a variety of treatments that are helpful and effective in alleviating the symptoms of all types of urinary incontinence. These include therapeutic exercises, biofeedback/EMG, electrical stimulation, dietary modification and bladder retraining.
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