What are the methods for treating female urinary incontinence and incomplete bladder emptying?

Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
Updated on December 17, 2024
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There are several causes of urinary incontinence in women as well as types of urinary incontinence. The treatment method needs to be based on the specific type of urinary incontinence. For mild stress urinary incontinence, it can be improved through pelvic floor muscle exercises. For more severe cases of stress urinary incontinence, surgery may be required. If the incontinence is due to acute cystitis, it is necessary to use antibiotics in a timely manner for treatment. Once the inflammation is controlled, the symptoms will also alleviate. However, if the urinary incontinence is caused by damage to the nervous system, there are no effective treatment methods.

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Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
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What should elderly people do if they have slight urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is relatively common in the elderly. After excluding organic causes of urinary incontinence through examination, we should consider functional causes. This is mainly due to the relaxation of the urethral sphincter, pelvic floor, and the muscles around the urethra, which decreases the urethral pressure. When the abdominal pressure increases, it can cause urinary incontinence. We can improve the muscles of the pelvic floor gradually by undergoing pelvic floor rehabilitation therapy, which increases their strength and improves urinary incontinence. The key to pelvic floor rehabilitation is to provide patients with guidance and exercises for lifting the anus. By persisting in these exercises, the symptoms of urinary incontinence can be alleviated or eliminated.

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Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
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What causes urinary incontinence in the elderly?

Urinary incontinence in the elderly varies due to different mechanisms and types, with the two most common categories being genuine urinary incontinence, which is due to neurogenic bladder dysfunction or overactive detrusor muscles, damage to the urethral sphincter, or loss of bladder storage function. These are commonly seen in conditions like chronic stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and psychiatric diseases. The other major category is caused by relaxation of the urethral sphincter or pelvic floor muscles surrounding the urethra, leading to reduced urethral pressure. Incontinence in this category may occur when negative pressure increases, such as during coughing, sneezing, straining during bowel movements, or changing body position. This type of urinary incontinence is more common in elderly women and in elderly men who have had prostate removal, leading to damage to the external urethral sphincter.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Will urinary incontinence heal itself after a vaginal delivery?

During natural childbirth, because it can damage pelvic floor function, causing issues such as bladder prolapse, uterine prolapse, and a series of other pelvic floor dysfunctions, some women may experience urinary incontinence after giving birth. If urinary incontinence occurs after natural childbirth, it suggests that the damage to the pelvic floor functions is quite severe, and these conditions generally cannot heal on their own. First, a pelvic floor function test should be conducted to assess the condition of the pelvic floor. If the damage to the pelvic floor is minor, it can be improved through machine-assisted treatment and performing Kegel exercises, which also help enhance pelvic floor functions. If the evaluation reveals severe prolapse, pelvic floor reconstructive surgery is required to suture the prolapsed bladder or uterus back into place, which can improve urinary incontinence. Therefore, urinary incontinence after natural childbirth generally does not heal on its own.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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Causes of stress urinary incontinence

The onset of stress urinary incontinence primarily refers to the phenomenon where a sudden increase in abdominal pressure during activities such as laughing, sneezing, lifting heavy objects, or jumping rope causes a small amount of urine to leak from the urethra. The main cause of stress urinary incontinence is due to the relaxation of the detrusor muscle, commonly seen in women who have had multiple vaginal deliveries. Treatment for this condition should be based on the severity of the incontinence. For mild incontinence, it can be improved through functional exercises of the detrusor muscle and pelvic floor muscle training. For moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence, surgical treatment is recommended.

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Written by Chen Feng
Urology
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Is minimally invasive sling surgery for urinary incontinence permanent?

Minimally invasive sling surgery is generally suitable for patients with stress urinary incontinence. This surgery is usually not permanent, and its specific name is tension-free urethral suspension. It is used to increase the closure pressure of the urethra. Therefore, when the intra-abdominal pressure increases, the increased urethral closure pressure can prevent urine leakage. This surgery is one of the more common surgeries in clinical practice, but over time, various complications related to the surgery tend to increase. Common surgical complications include difficulty urinating, bladder perforation, and corrosion of the vaginal or urethral sling. Over time, the probability of corrosion gradually increases.