What is Urinary problem in women?

Many women are too shy or ashamed to talk about their bladder problems to anyone, including their doctor. So much so, that although ten million American adults, the majority of whom are women, have problems controlling their bladders, women continue to suffer in silence. Women of all ages suffer urine leakage. They are reluctant to seek treatment and relief.

Bladder problems faced by women include leaking urine, frequent urination due to overactive bladder and other symptoms of urinary incontinence. These bladder problems in women may be due to consequences of childbirth or a natural part of aging. However, several new techniques in the fields of urology and gynecology are offering succor to more and more women from bladder problems.

Common bladder problem in women?

• Urine leakage - Most women experience incontinence. Women leak urine when they exercise, laugh hard, cough or even sneeze. Pregnant women experience urine leakage problems and women who have attained menopause also have such bladder control problems. Due to strenuous sports activities, female athletes of all ages sometimes suffer urine leakage.
• Urge incontinence occurs after a strong sudden urge to urinate. This is a bladder control problem and can be due to nerve damage from diabetes, stroke, infection or any other medical condition.
• Mixed incontinence is a combination of stress and urge incontinence. There may be a sudden uncontrollable urge to urinate before leak at another time
• If there is urine leakage because of mobility problems, it is functional incontinence.
• An overactive bladder is characterized by urination that occurs eight or more time a day.
• Pain in the bladder, need to urinate and inability to pass urine, progressively weak urine stream and inability to empty the bladder completely are other bladder problems in women.

Overractive bladder in women

An overactive bladder is due to sudden involuntary contraction of muscle in the wall of the urinary bladder. Overactive bladder causes sudden and unstoppable urgency to urinate. Overactive bladder causes considerable social, psychological, occupational and sexual problems among others. Frequent urination and urgency to urinate can be construed as symptoms of this condition.

Causes for overactive bladder

Urinary incontinence can occur at any age and not necessary in the elderly. It should be understood that urinary incontinence is not a disease. It is a medical problem and a doctor can help.

It is a symptom that can be caused by other conditions such as diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis and nerve diseases. Incontinence can worsen with aging, illness and injury. Overactive bladder may also develop as a complication of a nerve or brain related disease such as Parkinson's disease.

A vaginal or urinary tract infection or constipation can cause temporary bouts of urinary incontinence. Some medications are also prone to cause overactive bladder problems. Pregnant women suffer from overactive bladder temporarily caused by hormonal changes and pressure exerted by the growing fetus on the urinary tract.