$Unique_ID{BRK01604}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Bladder Training to Help with Urinary Incontinence}
$Subject{bladder urine incontinence Genitourinary Urinary Incontinences
Urgency urge void toilet urination voidings resource resources urinate
urinating urinates incontinent urethral sphincter}
$Volume{J-16}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Bladder Training to Help with Urinary Incontinence


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QUESTION:  I am cursed by a problem I know many women have.  I lose my water
at the most disturbing and embarrassing time.  I have read all I can find
about this condition, but I am looking to you for anything new that might
help.  There must be something I can do to stop or at least reduce the times I
find I must withdraw from the room and seek the privacy of my own room.
Please print my question, it is a very important one.

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ANSWER:  Urinary incontinence is indeed a most distressing situation, and
affects an estimated 10 million Americans, with twice as many women than men
facing the problem.  Almost half of all people living in nursing homes suffer
urinary incontinence.  For many the only hope is treatment with medications
or surgery, both of which may have both side effects and risks.  The first
step towards any rational treatment is a complete clinical evaluation by your
physician, who may discover the exact nature of your problem.  Urgency and
urge incontinence is characterized by a sudden need to void of such a nature
as to occur before reaching the toilet.  Incontinence may also occur during
periods of exertion, stooping to lift an object, or coughing (stress
incontinence).
     Both situations may be helped by the concept of bladder training, which
is based on principles of behavior modification, and consists of education and
strict scheduling of urination.  Patients are instructed to void at specific
times even when they feel no desire, and by contrast must try suppress the
urge when the need is experienced before scheduled times.  The goal of such
programs is to reach intervals of from 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours between
voidings, enough time to allow scheduling normal social activities.  Such
training programs may reduce the number of incontinent episodes by more than
half, and the results of the training is still effective six months after the
training is completed.  For more information on this subject you may write for
the AGE PAGE on "Urinary Incontinence", obtainable from the National Institute
on Aging (NIA) Information Center, P.O. Box 8057, Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.