Overflow Incontinence: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Have you ever woken up from a good night’s sleep, only to find that you’ve wet the bed without realizing it? Or even worse, have you gotten up from your seat at a restaurant only to discover that you’ve got a damp patch on your pants? Incontinence affects adults, especially older adults, and can seriously hamper your lifestyle. But you don’t have to live your life in fear of incontinence, and there are steps you can take to reduce your symptoms. Read on to discover what you need to know about overflow incontinence and what you can do about it.
What is overflow incontinence?
Overflow incontinence is one of several types of bladder leakage, including stress incontinence, urge incontinence, and functional incontinence. Overflow incontinence occurs when you have frequent dribbling of urine caused by the bladder’s inability to empty fully. This contrasts with:
- Stress incontinence, which is caused by outside triggers like peeing when coughing.
- Urge incontinence, which occurs when a sudden urge is followed by the involuntary release of urine.
- Functional incontinence, which happens when you get the urge to go to the bathroom but can’t make it to the toilet in time due to other physical or mental conditions.
Overflow incontinence may also play a part in mixed incontinence, which refers to incontinence caused by several different factors.
What are the symptoms of overflow incontinence?
So, how do you know if you’re specifically dealing with overflow incontinence, as opposed to another kind? Here are some particular signs to look out for:
- Dribbling urine frequently or constantly
- Feeling like you never empty your bladder completely, no matter how often or how long you urinate
- Having a weak urine stream when you do use the toilet
- Experiencing difficulty when starting to urinate
- Using the restroom more often but passing less urine
- Wetting the bed at night
- Having a bladder infection
In terms of the last point, bladder infections are ironically a common side effect of overflow incontinence. While you might feel like you’re going to the bathroom all the time, you never fully empty the bladder, which causes urine to sit in it and which can ultimately lead to a bladder infection.
If you’re experiencing incontinence, but these symptoms don’t sound familiar to you, then we suggest looking into the other kinds of incontinence listed in the first section of this guide.
What causes overflow incontinence?
In a nutshell, overflow incontinence happens when your bladder is stretched beyond capacity, resulting in leakage. This stretching is usually caused by either a blockage in the urinary system or a weak bladder contraction. Said blockage can be caused by bladder stones, scar tissue, tumors, swelling, or other factors.
When a weak bladder contraction occurs, it enlarges the bladder, which in turn distends the bladder’s opening and allows urine to leak out. Bladder muscles may be weakened through life events such as pregnancy and menopause. Weak bladder contractions can also be caused by issues with the nerves that control the bladder. These nerve malfunctions may be caused by injury, diabetes, alcoholism, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions. Certain medications that affect the nerves can also result in weak bladder contractions.
What can you do about overflow incontinence?
Depending on the various causes, managing overflow incontinence requires a multi-pronged approach. Your doctor will conduct tests, such as a bladder stress test, to help determine your exact type of incontinence and what the causes are. Your treatment plan will vary based on the causes of your incontinence.
In the short term, products such as Always Discreet can help you stay dry and comfortable while you’re out in public or sleeping. Your doctor may also recommend pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles that hold in your urine, or bladder training to lengthen your intervals between using the bathroom. In the case of blockage that can’t be passed, such as a bad kidney stone, your doctor may opt for surgery to remove it.
If your overflow incontinence is caused by a medication you’re already taking, your doctor will likely change your dosage or switch you to another medication. There’s also a certain class of medications, called alpha-blockers, that can help reduce symptoms of overflow incontinence, so your doctor may prescribe those to you.
In severe cases of overflow incontinence, your urologist may recommend self-catheterization. This solution should only be pursued at the specific instruction of your doctor.
Overflow incontinence is more common than you think, and there are practical steps you can take today to start managing it. If you think you’ve been struggling with overflow incontinence, reach out to your doctor to start discussing potential treatment plans.
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