Can a UTI Cause Incontinence?
You think you have a UTI, and, on top of that, you think it might be causing incontinence as well. Discover what you need to know about UTIs and whether or not having one means that you might need to purchase incontinence products for women:
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What is a urinary tract infection?
A urinary tract infection (UTI) refers to an infection of any part of the urinary system: kidneys, ureter, bladder, and/or urethra. Most infections occur in the lower urinary tract (the bladder and urethra), which is the more mild kind of infection. It’s important to treat UTIs early, before they have a chance to become more severe and spread to the kidneys.
Symptoms of a UTI include a strong, unrelenting urge to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating, and discharge in the area. You may pass small yet frequent amounts of urine, and it may have a strong smell. The urine may appear cloudy and/or have a red or pink tint to it (the latter is a sign of blood in the urine). Pelvic pain is also common, especially in women. It’s usually concentrated in the center of the pelvis and around the pelvic bone, but some people also experience discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen as well.
Women are at a higher risk of developing a UTI because of the shorter distance from the urethra to the anus and the urethral opening to the bladder. This means that infection-causing bacteria has a shorter distance to travel before it gets into the urinary system, where it can multiply and cause an infection.
Does a UTI cause incontinence?
Incontinence refers to the involuntary loss of bladder control, leading to the release of urine. A UTI is one of the possible causes of incontinence, though not the most common. UTIs lead to inflammation of the urinary tract tissues, which can interfere with bladder control and result in an involuntary loss of urine. UTIs also result in a strong urge to urinate, and if you can’t make it to the bathroom in time, you might also have an incontinence episode. Your doctor can help you determine if your incontinence is caused by your UTI or something else.
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What are other causes of incontinence?
UTIs are far from the only potential causes of incontinence. Some of the other potential causes include:
Stress urinary incontinence: Stress incontinence occurs when urine is involuntarily voided in response to a physical stressor, such as laughing, coughing, sneezing, or jumping. Stress incontinence happens when the muscles that usually control the release of urine become weakened, and the extra pressure on them results in urine being voided.
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Urge incontinence, aka overactive bladder: Urge incontinence occurs when you get the overwhelming urge to urinate, causing the pelvic muscles to contract and urine to be released. It can be caused by a variety of conditions, including a bladder infection.
Overflow incontinence: Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder is full but cannot empty fully. As a result, the bladder leaks the overflow unexpectedly. With overflow incontinence, you may or may not be able to sense when your bladder is full or leaking. Overflow incontinence can actually cause UTIs (rather than the other way around) because urine left sitting in the bladder can breed bacteria that then spreads up the urinary tract.
Mixed incontinence: Mixed incontinence refers to incontinence caused by a combination of the factors listed here – for example, an overactive bladder and stress urinary incontinence.
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It’s important to reach out to your doctor immediately if you think you have a urinary tract infection. Prompt treatment is critical to stop the spread of infection before it can reach the kidneys. Your doctor will diagnose you and prescribe you a medication (almost always an antibiotic) to kill off the bad bacteria found in your urine.
If you have incontinence that is affecting your daily life, it’s also important to reach out to your doctor so that they can help you determine the cause, whether that’s a UTI or something else. Your doctor will also help you determine the course of treatment most appropriate to your condition. Bladder leakage pads can help keep you dry and comfortable in the short term while you wait for your treatment to take effect.
If you’re struggling with incontinence, ordering products from Sofia & Grace can help make your life easier. We sell everything from Poise liners to feminine wash and ship everything in discreet packaging straight to your door so you never have to stress about anyone seeing it.
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