Incontinence Treatment in Southeast Houston, TX

Stress Incontinence

Stress incontinence is a form of urinary incontinence that makes it hard to stop the flow of urine when pressure is placed on the bladder. This issue can cause sufferers to feel embarrassed, limit social activity, and it may also affect a person’s romantic life.

Causes:

Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from stress incontinence. Stress incontinence occurs when the muscles that support the bladder and control the release of urine begin to weaken. Women are twice as likely to suffer from stress incontinence than men. In most cases, this is because of childbirth. During some births, muscle and tissue damage can occur to the pelvic floor. The most common factor that leads to stress incontinence in men is prostate surgery. If the prostate gland is removed, the tissue that wraps around the urethra may be weakened.

Treatment:

The first steps to treating stress urinary incontinence are often behavior therapies such as pelvic floor muscle exercises, dietary adjustments, lifestyle changes, and bladder training. There aren’t currently any approved medications to treat stress incontinence.

Urge Incontinence

Urge incontinence is unique as it is a sudden and intense need to urinate that is soon followed by an unwanted contraction of the bladder, which causes an involuntary loss of urine.

Causes:

A few different types of medical conditions that may be causing urge incontinence to occur include:

• A bladder infection
• Pregnancy or childbirth
• An enlarged prostate
• Menopause
• Prostate cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Neurological disorders
• Bladder or kidney stones
• An obstruction near the opening of the bladder

Treatment:

Your doctor is likely to first try different exercises and dietary changes in order to avoid a more invasive treatment method, but if these prove to be ineffective in relieving your urge incontinence symptoms then decisions regarding more serious options may have to be made. Common medical treatments for urge incontinence include:

• Collagen implants
• Nerve stimulators
• An at-home catheter

 Mixed Incontinence

Mixed incontinence is one of the most common forms of urinary incontinence that women face. It is a combination of urge incontinence and stress incontinence. Left untreated, the symptoms of this disorder can greatly disrupt a person’s everyday life.

Causes:

The causes of stress and urge incontinence are shared in those who have mixed incontinence. Typically, stress incontinence results from childbirth, pregnancy, and medical conditions that can lead to weakened bladder muscles. In instances of urge incontinence, there may have been damage to the nerves of the bladder, other areas of the nervous system, or damage caused by a previous surgery.

Treatment:

Non-surgical methods will be used first. This may include pelvic muscle exercises and bladder training. When these techniques fail to alleviate symptoms, the following other treatment options may be used:

• Medication: Several types of medications can be used to help calm overactive bladder muscles. In addition, injections of Botox into the bladder can reduce the frequent urges that a patient feels.
• Devices: When cases are more severe and can’t be cured with medication or behavioral therapy, devices like Pessary, Urethral Inserts and Pelvic Floor Electrostimulation may be necessary.
• Surgery: Surgery intervention to treat mixed incontinence is reserved for severe cases where behavioral therapy, medication, and devices can’t help alleviate symptoms. Consulting with a specialist will allow you to make the decision that is right for you and your unique needs.

Bowel Incontinence

Bowel incontinence, also known as fecal incontinence, is when bowel movements cannot be controlled. Stool or feces leaks out of the rectum when it is not supposed to, and it may happen with or without the person’s knowledge. It can range from a simple small leak to complete loss of bowel control.

Causes:

When someone develops bowel incontinence, it can be caused by one or several factors:

• Surgery
• Nerve Damage
• Older Age And Lack Of Any Physical Activity
• Hemorrhoids
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Muscle Damage

Treatment:

Basic changes in diet may help those with intermittent or mild bowel incontinence like eating more fiber. Bowel training can also help. Scheduling going to the bathroom at the same time every day by setting up a pattern can help reduce fecal incontinence.

Other treatment options include the following:

• Prescribed medications
• Kegel exercises for younger patients
• Avoid straining
• Biofeedback to strengthen muscles
• Surgical and non-surgical treatments
• Colostomy for severe cases

Total Incontinence

Total incontinence is a type of urinary incontinence that prevents the bladder from storing urine. This causes the individual with total incontinence to continuously leak urine, or to have recurrent large leakages of urine.

Causes:

An individual can suffer from total incontinence for a variety of reasons. The three most common causes of total incontinence consist of:

• A congenital defect (a condition that the patient has had since birth).
• Serious injury sustained by the spinal cord or urinary system.
• Development of a fistula, which is a hole or channel that exists between the bladder and other nearby organs.

Treatment:

The treatment options available for total incontinence are the same as those available for other types of incontinence. Dr. Hampel is likely to begin this process by having you try less invasive treatment methods such as pelvic floor muscle exercises or medications.

If such treatments are proven to be ineffective for a particular patient, more serious options such as interventional therapies or surgery may be considered. It is important to voice any concerns about your total urinary incontinence with Dr. Hampel in order to receive the best possible care for your individual case.

Overflow Incontinence

Overflow incontinence occurs in patients when the body can’t sense when the bladder is full, resulting in unexpected urine leakage. In those with overflow incontinence, it is also common for the bladder to not become completely empty after urination.

Causes:

Overflow incontinence is seen in male patients more often than females. But, it is still possible for women to develop this issue. In most cases, overflow incontinence is caused by a weakness in the bladder muscles that can develop over time. Other possible causes include:

• Bladder stones
• Previous injury to the pelvis or hip area
• Prolapse of the uterus or bladder

Treatment:

Behavioral modifications such as bladder training and Kegel exercises may be recommended. Medication, including alpha-blockers and anticholinergics, may also be prescribed to help control symptoms. If these options don’t help, devices or surgery may be recommended.