How to recover from urinary incontinence after natural childbirth

Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
Updated on January 26, 2025
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Vaginal delivery refers to childbirth through the vagina, and while it has many benefits, it also has certain drawbacks. The biggest disadvantage is that it can cause damage to a woman's pelvic floor, leading to conditions such as uterine prolapse and bladder prolapse, which manifest as urinary leakage or incontinence. If urinary incontinence occurs after vaginal delivery, it can be addressed through the following methods: First, one can perform Kegel exercises at home. Kegel exercises are a set of movements that contract the muscles of the pelvic floor, which can help alleviate urinary incontinence, though the effect may be weak. Second, for patients with significant urinary leakage or incontinence, it is recommended to seek hospital treatment with machine-assisted therapy, primarily using electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles to promote contraction and improve symptoms of incontinence. Third, if the above methods are ineffective, an evaluation of pelvic floor function should be conducted, and if necessary, pelvic floor repair surgery should be performed.

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Can spinal inflammation urinary incontinence be cured?

Patients with myelitis often experience urinary incontinence because the condition affects the function of the autonomic nerves, which primarily govern the control of urination and defecation. Symptoms may include urinary incontinence, urinary frequency, or urinary retention. To treat urinary incontinence, it is first necessary to treat acute myelitis. Treatment must be timely, involving the administration of corticosteroids to suppress the inflammatory response and promote recovery from myelitis. Additionally, B vitamins should be administered to nourish the nerves and accelerate nerve repair. Moreover, adjunctive rehabilitation therapy is also crucial. For urinary incontinence, rehabilitation physicians may offer interventions such as acupuncture and training for the bladder sphincter muscle function. Most patients have a relatively good prognosis after treatment and can be cured.

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What should be noted for fecal incontinence?

Patients with fecal incontinence should first pay attention to the cleanliness and hygiene of the anal area. Due to fecal incontinence, there will be fecal residue around the anus, so it is important to clean up promptly when there is fecal residue. Since feces contain certain irritating substances, these can irritate the skin around the anus, causing pain, eczema, or even provoking bedsores. Therefore, patients with fecal incontinence must frequently change positions, clean regularly, and further carry out local treatment. The most common cause of fecal incontinence is relaxation of the anal sphincter. If it is confirmed that it is due to the aforementioned reason, an anal constriction surgery can be chosen to tighten the local sphincter, thereby preventing the feces from being expelled abnormally from the anus. It could also be due to the patient being elderly and frail, with a nervous system disorder, and the primary disease needs to be actively treated.

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How is stress urinary incontinence treated?

Stress urinary incontinence primarily occurs when activities like coughing, sneezing, lifting heavy objects, or jumping rope cause a sudden increase in negative pressure, leading to urine leakage from the urethral opening. For the treatment of stress urinary incontinence, it is important to determine the severity of the condition. For mild stress urinary incontinence, improvement can be achieved through exercises that strengthen the urinary sphincter and the pelvic floor muscles. For moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence, surgical intervention is recommended, mainly through mid-urethral sling procedures to manage urination. Patients should also take care to minimize activities that suddenly increase abdominal pressure, such as lifting heavy objects, laughing heartily, or sneezing.

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Can fecal incontinence be cancer?

The most common causes of fecal incontinence are neurological dysfunction or relaxation of the local anal sphincter. In some cases of advanced rectal cancer, excessive tumor growth can enlarge the local intestinal contents, leading to involuntary expulsion of feces. Diagnosis involves further examination using electronic colonoscopy, digital anal examination, and assessment of neurological function. If the cause is related to a neurological disorder, treatment by a neurologist is required. If the cause is relaxation of the anal sphincter, then anal sphincter tightening surgery may be considered. In cases where fecal incontinence is caused by an intestinal tumor, surgery to remove the tumor is recommended, along with radiation or chemotherapy.

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Can you have intercourse with postpartum urinary incontinence?

Postpartum urinary incontinence should preclude sexual intercourse, as intercourse can exacerbate the condition. It is necessary to wait until recovery is achieved before resuming sexual activities. It is advised that patients promptly seek hospital treatment for pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation, which can generally bring effective relief within six months. If recovery begins after more than six months, the results can be poor. It is also important to develop good living habits, ensuring adequate sleep, avoiding fatigue, and refraining from heavy physical labor. Proper bowel movements should be maintained to prevent constipation, which can increase abdominal pressure and worsen urinary incontinence.