Urinary incontinence in women is a condition that affects one out of every three women. Factors such as genetic reasons or weakening of the pelvic floor muscles after difficult births are conributive. This situation, which affects women more than men, negatively affects the quality of life and psychology of the person. Therefore, treatment of this condition is important.
What is Urinary Incontinence in Women?
This condition, also called urinary incontinence in the medical literature; is a disorder that is seen for certain reasons and negatively affects the quality of life of the person. The difficulties usually starts after the age of 30 with the frequency and intensity of which is exacerbated with increasing age, foul odor in the genital area, and hygienic problems. This situation can also be experienced genetically due to the congenital weakness of the pelvic floor muscle. Other risk factors can be listed as multiple births, obesity, smoking, bad eating habits. The presence of these factors also causes the condition to occur at an earlier age. In order to avoid this condition, a healthy lifestyle should be adopted. Urinary incontinence exercises should be done in women and attention should be paid to a healthy diet. Urinary incontinence exercises are walking, pilates and kegel exercises. Vaginal muscles can be strengthened with these exercises. In addition, it is important for the person to get rid of excess weight.
Urinary Incontinence Symptoms in Women
These symptoms differ depending on the type of urinary incontinence a person experiences. Types of urinary incontinence are as follows:
Stress urinary incontinence: Conditions such as heavy lifting, straining, coughing and sneezing that cause increased intra-abdominal pressure. This type of incontinence is experienced by the deterioration of the angle between the bladder and urethra.
Urge urinary incontinence: It is experienced as sudden urination in women when the bladder is full or empty. Consumption of cold drinks or exposure to cold are effective in triggering this situation. It usually occurs in unprepared situations and especially during sleep.
Mixed urinary incontinence: This is a condition where both urge and stress urinary incontinence are experienced together.
Overflow urinary incontinence: It is a neurological problem and is rare. In this case, the bladder does not feel the urine. The condition is common in patients with advanced diabetes.
Diagnosis of Incontinence in Women
There is an increase in the complaints of the person due to the consequences of urinary incontinence. In the diagnosis, which is extremely important for the treatment of the condition, the number of births, weight, smoking habits, occupation and chronic diseases of the person are investigated.
Incontinence Treatment in Women
“How to treat urinary incontinence in women?” are among the topics of interest. The treatment is carried out in different ways for each patient and the surgery is not performed for every patient. Before starting the treatment, the general condition of the patient is analysed and the situation is observed by making lifestyle changes. The treatment process is started for the patients who do not respond to the changes made. Medication is often used for urge urinary incontinence. Surgical treatment is more effective in mixed-type and stress-type urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence surgery methods in women are as follows:
Trans Obturator Tape (TOT) surgery: This surgery method is applied in advanced cases where there is no solution with laser therapy and the problem causes distress for everyday functioning. In the procedure, small-sized tape is placed in the middle of the urinary tract and the procedure is performed by entering through the groin without any incision. After the procedure, which lasts for 15 minutes, the patient stays in the hospital for 1 night and is then discharged. The patient should avoid heavy activities and sexual intercourse for 15-20 days.
Closed laparoscopic surgery: It is applied in cases of unsuccessful treatment with other methods. In this procedure, the abdominal organs are placed in their places by entering through the abdomen. Sutures are placed on the tissues that move when the patient coughes or sneezes.
Non-Surgical Applications in the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Women
Applications other than surgery in the treatment of urinary incontinence in women are as follows:
- Electromagnetic chairs: The patient sits in the electromagnetic chair for a certain period of time, while signals that strengthen the pelvic floor are applied to the patient. With these signals, rhythmic contractions that strengthen the pelvic muscles are applied.
- Vaginal balls: Again, it is an application to strengthen the patient's pelvic muscles. In this application, balls of various sizes are squeezed by the patient and the development of the pelvic floor muscles is ensured.
- Vaginal laser
