If a woman suffers from accidental or involuntary loss of control of her bladder, it is called urinary incontinence. Women experience incontinence twice as often as men. Pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, and the structure of the female urinary tract account for this difference. Older women, more often than younger women, experience incontinence. But incontinence is not inevitable with age. Incontinence is treatable and often curable at all ages.
Chronic incontinence is categorized according to the circumstances under which urine is lost.
Stress incontinence is the loss of urine during contractions of the abdomen caused by sneezing, laughing, coughing, exercising and other such actions. It affects at least 10-20% of women, many of whom do not realize that there are simple, effective treatment options available. Stress incontinence affects the quality of women’s lives in many ways. Incontinence may limit women’s social and personal relationships, as well as physical activity.
Overactive Bladder is a condition in which the urge to urinate is sudden and extreme, and urine is often expelled before a bathroom is reached. This occurs even when there is a minimal amount of urine in the bladder.
The challenge is identifying the origins of urinary incontinence. For determining the treatment options, a detailed diagnostic is carried which includes some special examinations.
Urinary incontinence is a common symptom experienced by significant numbers of adult women. Many affected women do not consult their doctors about this troublesome symptom perhaps based on a belief that they cannot be helped. Recent years have seen the development of several new and popular techniques for the surgical treatment of this condition.
Because treatment options vary according to incontinence type and effectiveness, it is important to first determine the etiology and severity of the patient’s symptoms. After determining the type of incontinence, physicians should assess each woman’s goals and expectations for treatment to help her select the best treatment option.
Although urgency urinary incontinence generally is treated with conservative measures, pharmacotherapy, and nonsurgical procedures, surgery is indicated for appropriately counseled women with stress urinary incontinence who have insufficient symptom control after conservative treatment. In addition, surgery may be an appropriate first-line treatment in appropriately counseled women with stress urinary incontinence who decline conservative treatment.
Dr. Murat Koc
Head of Ob/Gyn/Ivf
Gynecological Oncologist and Breast Cancer Specialist
Minimal invasive/Robotic Surgeon
                 Bahrain Specialist Hospital