Urinary Continence:
During urination, muscles in the wall of the bladder contract forcing urine out of the bladder and into the urethra. At the same time, muscles surrounding the urethra relax, letting urine pass out of the body. Incontinence will occur if the bladder muscles suddenly contract or muscles surrounding the urethra suddenly relax.
Incontinence: “Urinary incontinence (UI) is any involuntary leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a profound impact on quality of life. Urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition but is under-reported to medical practitioners.”
Incontinence can result from:
- Diuretics (medication for blood pressure, sedatives, decongestives, alcohol, caffeine)
- Increase consumption of fluids
- Enlarged prostate in men
- Kidney stones
- Brain disorders such as ; M.S., Parkinsonism,
- Strokes and Spinal cord injuries
Types of Incontinence:
- Stress Incontinence due to weakness of the pelvic floor muscles
- Urge Incontinence where there is a sudden feeling or urge to urinate
- Overflow incontinence where there is a constant dribbling or continuing to dribble after passing urine
- Structural Incontinence which is less common where there are physical abnormalities effecting the urinary process
- Functional Incontinence where the individual can’t physically make it to the bathroom in time due to limited mobility
- Transient Incontinence which is a temporary version of incontinence triggered by medication, urinary tract infections, mental impairment, severe constipation and restricted mobility
U.I. in Women:
Up to 35% of the total population of women over the age of 60 is estimated to be incontinent and women are 2x’s as likely as men to experience incontinence. One in three women over the age of 60 is estimated to have bladder control problems.
Bladder control problems result in higher rates of depression, limited activity levels, and more that 50% of nursing home facilities admissions are related to incontinence.
U.I. in Men:
This condition is less seen in the male population because of the structural difference in the male urinary anatomy. This is most often seen in older men but can occur at any age.
Common Treatment Approaches:
- Medications
- Surgery
- Absorbant Products (Depends)
- Behaviour Management
Another Treatment Approach:
As indicated earlier in this article, our body relies on fluid pressures and on anatomy (healthy structures) to effectively complete the process of urination. When the necessary pressures which trigger the bladder and urethra to release urine in a timely fashion are absent, or altered, incontinence can result. Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) is an
Osteopathic based therapy allowing the practitioner to access deep structures within the body that may be contributing or causing pain and dysfunction at the muscle, joint or other levels. Releasing tensions in organs, blood vessels and connective tissue in the body can re-establish flow, equalize pressures and normalize function. This therapy is gently non-invasive, effective and another choice for those wanting a non-surgical approach.
Manual Therapist/Registered Massage Therapist
Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT)
Fascial Dynamic Manual Therapy (FDMT)
Cranial Therapy (CST)