|
|
HOME > Menopause
Resource Center > Menopause and Bladder Control |
Menopause Resource Center
Menopause
and Bladder Control
article syndicated from NKUDIC
Does menopause affect bladder control?
 |
Yes.
Some women have bladder
control problems after
they stop having periods
(menopause or change
of life). If you are
going through menopause,
talk to your health
care team.
After
your periods end, your
body stops making the
female hormone estrogen
(ES-truh-jun). Estrogen
controls how your body
matures, your monthly
periods, and body changes
during pregnancy and
breast-feeding.
Some
scientists believe estrogen
may help keep the lining
of the bladder and urethra
(yoo-REE-thrah) plump
and healthy. They think
that lack of estrogen
could contribute to weakness
of the bladder control
muscles.
 |
|
| Good bladder control allows women to lead a fully active life. | |
Pressure
from coughing, sneezing,
or lifting can push
urine through the weakened
muscle. This kind of
leakage is called stress
incontinence. It
is one of the most
common kinds of bladder
control problems in
older women.
Recent
studies have raised doubts
about the benefits of
taking estrogen after
menopause. The studies
also point to added risks
from taking estrogen
for many years. No studies
have shown that taking
estrogen improves bladder
control in women who
have gone through menopause.
Your doctor can suggest
many other possible treatments
to improve bladder control.
What
else causes bladder
control problems
in older women?
Sometimes
bladder control problems
are caused by other medical
conditions. These problems
include:
-
infections
-
nerve damage from diabetes or stroke
-
heart problems
-
medicines
-
feeling depressed
-
difficulty walking or moving
A
very common kind of
bladder control problem
for older women is urge
incontinence. This
means the bladder muscles
squeeze at the wrong
time--or all the time--and
cause leaks.
If
you have this problem,
your health care team
can help you retrain
yourself to go to the
toilet on a schedule.
What
should you do about
bladder control after
menopause?
Talk
to your health care team.
You may have stress or
urge incontinence, but
other things could also
be happening.
Medicines
and exercises can restore
bladder control in many
cases. Your doctor will
give you a checkup first.
What treatments can help you regain bladder control?
 |
|
| Teaching your bladder a new routine can reduce urge incontinence. | |
It depends on what kind of bladder control problem you have. Your health care team may also recommend some of the following:
-
limiting caffeine
-
exercising pelvic muscles
-
training the bladder to hold more urine
If these simple treatments do not work, your health care team may have you try something different. These treatments might include:
-
biofeedback
-
electrical stimulation of pelvic muscles
-
a device inserted in the vagina to hold up the bladder
-
a device inserted directly into the urethra to block leakage
-
surgery to lift a sagging bladder into a better position
What
professionals can
help you with bladder
control?
Professionals
who can help you with
bladder control include:
-
your primary care doctor
-
a gynecologist (guy-nuh-CALL-uh-jist): a women's doctor
-
a urogynecologist (YOOR-oh-guy-nuh-CALL-uh-jist): an expert in women's bladder problems
-
a urologist (yoor-ALL-uh-jist): an expert in bladder problems
-
a nurse or nurse practitioner
-
a physical therapist
Points to Remember:
-
Some women have bladder control problems after they stop having periods.
-
Exercising pelvic muscles can help you maintain or improve bladder control.
-
Treatment depends on the type of bladder control problem(s) you have. Talk to your health care team to find the treatment that's right for you.
[Top]
article
syndicated from National
Kidney and Urologic
Diseases Information
Clearinghouse:
http://www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/menopause_ez/index.htm
NIH Publication No. 04-4186 - April 2004
> PMS Resource Center
> Progesterone Resource Center
> Subscribe to Menopause & PMS Tips Newsletter
> Recommended Products
