FEMALE HEALTH
FEMALE HEALTH
IT’S ESTIMATED THAT IN SCOTLAND BETWEEN 210,000 AND 335,000 ADULTS LIVE WITH SOME SORT OF BLADDER WEAKNESS PROBLEM, AND, ALARMINGLY, WOMEN ARE TWO TO THREE TIMES AS LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM THIS AS MEN. SCOTTISH PHARMACIST TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT..
A SERIOUS SIGN OF WEAKNESS....
Often the butt of sitcom jokes, frequent urination or a weak bladder is no laughing manner for many women. In fact, in extreme cases it can actually cause a woman to restrict her physical activities and may lead her to withdraw from social interactions.
But what actually causes frequent urination or incontinence? (Doctors consider urinating every two hours or more to be frequent urination.) Well, first of all we need to assess what actually happens in the urinary system.
The urinary system comprises two kidneys, two ureters (these are tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder and the urethra (this is the tube that carries the urine from the bladder and takes it out of the body). The reason why problems in
this area are so common is due to the fact that many muscles are involved in the urination process, which naturally creates many areas for potential problems, such as:
STRESS INCONTINENCE
This refers to the unintentional or uncontrollable leakage of urine and typically occurs when certain types of physical movement - such as laughing, sneezing, coughing, jumping or exercise - put pressure on the bladder and lead to the loss of urine.
OVERACTIVE BLADDER
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a chronic condition of the bladder that causes sudden urges to urinate. The urge comes from bladder muscle contractions and can happen suddenly and at any time, regardless of the amount of urine in the bladder. It may cause urine leakage (incontinence).
As stated above, OAB is characterised by the sudden and intense urge to urinate regardless of the amount of urine in the bladder. These urges may or may not cause urine to leak out of the bladder. When leakage occurs, it is called urinary incontinence (UI) and is defined as the involuntary loss of urine.
Symptoms of OAB are many and varied and include:
* urinary urgency caused by muscle contractions
* urge incontinence or loss of bladder control
* nocturia - the need to urinate at least two or more times during the night
* urinary frequency, ie, having to urinate at least eight times during the day
Causes of OAB include injuries; conditions which affect the muscles, nerves and tissues; oestrogen deficiency, which may be caused my menopause and excess body weight that may place extra pressure on the bladder. Dietary issues such as excessive caffeine or alcohol can also be responsible for OAB.
MIXED INCONTINENCE
This is the term that is used to refer to times when overactive bladder coincides with stress incontinence.
PREGNANCY INCONTINENCE
Many women will experience temporary urinary incontinence during pregnancy. This can resemble stress incontinence and usually occurs around the six-eight week mark into the pregnancy. Others will experience urge incontinence, which is the overwhelming need to urinate. While some women experience less urgency during their second trimester, others will continue to feel the urge to urinate more frequently throughout their pregnancy.
Frequent urination during pregnancy
SCOTTISH PHARMACIST - 37 >
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48