Causes of Incontinence
Incontinence means any accidental or involuntary loss of urine from the bladder (urinary incontinence) or bowel motion, faeces or wind from the bowel.
Temporary urinary incontinence
Certain drinks, foods and medication can act as diuretics – stimulating your bladder and increasing your volume of urine. They include :
Temporary urinary incontinence also be caused by treatable medical conditions. Such as:
Urinary Tract infection
Infection that irritates your bladder, causing urges to urinate and sometimes incontinence. Other symptoms of urinary tract infection include burning sensations when your urinate and foul-smelling urine.
Constipation
The rectum is located near the bladder and shares many of the same nerves. Hard compacted stool in your rectum causes these nerves to be overactive which would increase urinary frequency.
Persistent Urinary Incontinence
Persistent urinary incontinence can be caused by underlying physical problem or changes, including;
Hormonal changes and the increased weight of the uterus can lead to stress incontinence.
Vaginal delivery can weaken muscles for bladder control and also damage bladder nerves and supportive tissue, leading to a dropped (prolapsed) pelvic floor. This causes the bladder, uterus, rectum or small intestine to be pushed down and protrude into the vagina. Such protrusions may cause incontinence.
As your bladder muscles age, its capacity to store urine also decreases.
After menopause, women produce less estrogen, a hormone that helps keep the lining of the bluffer and maintain urethra health. Deterioration of these tissues can aggravate incontinence.
Any surgery that involves women’s reproductive system, including the removal of the uterus, may damage the supporting pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to incontinence.
Especially for older men, incontinence stems from enlargement of prostate gland, a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia.
A tumour anywhere along your urinary tract can block the normal flow of urine which can lead to overflow incontinence. Urinary stone are hard stone-like masses that stay in the bladder which can also sometimes cause urine leakage.
Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, brain tumor or spinal injury can interfere with nerve signals involved in bladder control, causing urinary incontinence.
