Urinary incontinence with severe coughing is now considered by doctors as a separate disease. A lot of research has been done on this topic in clinical practice. The results of most of them show that about 30% of women suffer from the ailment presented. The lion's share of such cases occur in elderly and pregnant women. Details on why urinary incontinence occurs when coughing will be discussed later in the article.
Degrees of urinary incontinence
Based on the amount of urine released, several degrees of pathology are distinguished:
- Easy - only a few drops of urine are observed at a time with an increase in intra-abdominal pressure under the influence of cough, laughter, sneezing.
- Medium - a fairly noticeable amount of body fluid is released not only when coughing, but also when walking calmly, with slight physical exertion.
- Severe - uncontrolled excretion of an abundance of urine during coughing, sneezing, laughing, physical exertion, other spasms that put pressure on the organs of the genitourinary sphere.
Cough Incontinence in Women: Causes
In most cases, the main cause of this phenomenon is a violation of the functions of the sphincter, which is responsible for retaining fluid in the bladder. This also leads to age-related reduction in the length of the urethra. Among other reasons for the development of the disease is worth noting:
- individual excessive activity of the bladder;
- the appearance of pathological neoplasms in the tissues of the genitourinary system;
- chronic inflammation of the bladder;
- prolapse of the uterus and vaginal walls;
- prolonged or rapid childbirth ;
- transferred complex endourethral or gynecological operations;
- mechanical injuries of the perineum;
- excessive physical activity.
Postpartum Incontinence
It is worth noting that urinary incontinence during coughing in men is much less common than in women. Representatives of the stronger sex suffer from such a deviation only with chronic ailments of the prostate gland, in particular with its increase.
In women , cough incontinence most often occurs as a result of muscle weakness in the pelvic floor after childbirth. Often, a deviation occurs after transferred breaks in the walls of the genital organs. To eliminate the phenomenon in this case, one cannot do without special therapy aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor muscle tissue. The results after specific exercises become noticeable after a few months.
Cough incontinence in women as a result of cystitis
If urinary incontinence during coughing is accompanied by sharp pain in the groin, most likely the cause is cystitis. Often, only a few drops of urine are released.
Cystitis is a disease that leads to the development of inflammatory processes in the bladder. This can be caused by infections, the formation of kidney stones, irritation of the mucous membranes with sand that comes out of the kidneys, and also hypothermia. In the case of the development of this ailment, not only urinary incontinence during coughing can be observed, but also with the most minor physical exertion.
Involuntary urination in women with menopause
As practice shows, such unpleasant phenomena as menopause and menopause manifest themselves by the age of 50. During this period, the female genitourinary system undergoes significant hormonal changes. This causes weakening of the muscle mass in the pelvic floor and, as a result, urinary incontinence when coughing.
Stressful involuntary urination during menopause, according to statistics, is observed in 60% of women. An unpleasant phenomenon is accompanied by burning and dryness in the vagina. The result of such uncomfortable manifestations is an increase in general nervous excitability.
Incontinence in older women
A general decrease in muscle tone and sclerotic manifestations leads to the occurrence of involuntary urination in older women. With aging, the pelvic floor muscles sink, the sphincter weakens. Along with numerous problems of a neurological nature, it causes urinary incontinence when coughing and sneezing.
Older women see no reason to visit a gynecologist regularly. Such behavior leads to the fact that neoplasms that occur in the tissues of the organs of the genitourinary sphere reach large sizes. With sudden muscle contraction during coughing, sneezing or laughing, the inflamed tissue presses on the bladder. This, in fact, leads to involuntary urination in the elderly.
What factors increase the risk of developing an ailment?
A phenomenon such as involuntary urination when coughing can form on the background of:
- obesity
- alcohol and tobacco abuse;
- passing radiation therapy;
- neurological diseases;
- the development of tumors in the spinal cord.
Non-surgical treatments
How to eliminate urinary incontinence in women with cough? Treatment is primarily aimed at identifying the root cause. Therefore, an extremely important point on the path to recovery is an immediate examination by a qualified doctor.
If urinary incontinence is a cough, what should I do? Today, to eliminate this pathology, they resort to the following methods:
- Magnetic stimulation of the organs of the genitourinary sphere - helps to strengthen muscle tissue in the pelvic area.
- Hormone therapy - is prescribed to patients who suffer from involuntary urination of urine during menopause, as well as in the elderly and senile.
- Special gymnastics - a set of exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the perineum. In most cases, it is prescribed to patients in combination with drug therapy.
- Pharmaceuticals - prescribed in cases where involuntary urination in women occurs against the background of developing infections that affect the genitourinary tract.
Surgical removal of pathology
Surgical intervention is used in extreme cases. It is prescribed by doctors if physiological procedures and taking medications for a long time do not eliminate urinary incontinence when coughing. Most often, operations are carried out in order to remove pathological neoplasms, which, in fact, lead to involuntary urination. In some cases, they resort to surgery to strengthen the sphincter and the walls of the bladder.
To eliminate urinary incontinence when coughing, sometimes carry out the so-called sling operations. In the course of the latter, the surgeon creates a special loop in the area of the urethra, which holds the sphincter and does not allow involuntary urination with a sharp, unexpected pressure on the muscles of the pelvis. It is such an operation that is considered the most effective for pathologies of a presented nature.
If the woman’s bladder is only slightly filled, but there is a regular urge to empty it, an operation is used that makes it possible to remove tissue contraction.
In recent years, the bulk of qualified medical professionals are inclined to believe that surgery is the most effective way to eliminate urinary incontinence when coughing. However, if the patient is diagnosed with bladder hyperactivity, resorting to surgery is strictly prohibited.
Useful Tips
You can reduce the discomfort associated with involuntary urination during coughing by resorting to the following tips:
- Do not be shy to consult a doctor if you discover a phenomenon. Strictly follow all the instructions of a specialist.
- Get rid of bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol. The abuse of products of this nature leads to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. This, in turn, can be one of the causes of urinary incontinence when coughing.
- As practice shows, there is a direct relationship between involuntary urination and the presence of excess weight. Therefore, obese people who suffer from urinary incontinence are advised to lose a few pounds and evaluate the result.
- Carbonated and invigorating drinks are known for their diuretic effect. Patients who suffer from involuntary urination during coughing, sneezing or laughing should exclude such products from the diet.
- If the pathology is in a difficult stage of development, it is recommended to use special urological pads. The use of the latter will not only solve the problem of excess humidity, but also eliminate unpleasant odors.
- People who suffer from coughing incontinence should wear loose clothing. This makes it possible to reduce pressure on the organs of the genitourinary sphere with involuntary muscle contraction in this area.
Finally
So we examined the main causes of urinary incontinence when coughing, as well as methods of dealing with such an unpleasant pathological phenomenon. In conclusion, it is worth noting that in cases where the disease is developed in mild or moderate degree, it is better to resort to therapy using physical therapy or topical medications. These methods are not traumatic for the body. Therefore, with complex use, they can be extremely effective in the initial stages of the formation of the ailment. In the absence of positive results or with an exacerbation of the disease, it is necessary to undergo a second examination to identify changes, and only after that think about surgical intervention.