If you have bladder control problems or infections, this section will help you find an appropriate physician to help you with a treatment plan.

• Urinary incontinence is a common problem affecting millions of Americans.
• It is estimated that 1 out of every 25 Americans has some symptom of loss of bladder control.
• Bladder control problems are twice as common in women as in men.
• Most bladder control problems can be helped or cured.

• Urge incontinence or overactive bladder
• Stress incontinence
• Overflow incontinence

You may have only one type or a combination of two called mixed incontinence. The different types of incontinence can be treated either by medicines, exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor, or at times by surgery. The treatment used depends on which type of incontinence you have and at times requires a combination of therapies. You can determine which type of incontinence you have by studying the patterns below.

• Severe urgency and leakage can occur if you don’t get to the bathroom quickly
• Nocturia or urinating frequently at night
• Nocturnal eneuresis or wetting the bed
• Feeling the need to urinate out of proportion with the amount of fluid ingested.

• Leakage of urine with cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise
• Leakage of urine on arising from a seated position
• Patients avoid exercise or void more frequently to prevent accidents
• Often times patients are dry in bed at night but leak on getting out of bed in the morning

• Dribble urine constantly throughout the day
• Void with a slow stream
• Take a long time to void and don’t feel completely empty
• Wet in bed at night

Urinary tract infections, which are more common in women, can mimic the symptoms of overactive bladder and can cause urge to urge incontinence. This is why it is important to seek medical attention when you have these symptoms. Your physician can evaluate initially with a simple urinalysis to see if you have a UTI and then treat with an antibiotic. He will want to take a detailed history from you and you can help him by understanding better the symptoms that occur with UTIs and incontinence. He may need to obtain a urine for culture and sensitivity that will tell him what bacterial organism is causing the infection, if present, and what antibiotic would be best to treat the infection with. He may need to do further studies such as x-rays of the urinary tract or cystoscopy, which is to look in the bladder, if you have a severe UTI or if you have recurrent UTIs.

X-rays of the urinary tract as well as cystometrics, which are special pressure studies of the bladder, can be done to help determine what type of incontinence you have and to aid in the treatment of your condition.

• Many people don’t consult their physician when they have leakage problems. Common misconceptions are that there is nothing that can be done about it or that it is a natural process of aging. It is not a natural process of aging but it’s frequency increases with age.
• Others are embarrassed or use pads to hide the leakage which can become so severe that a diaper is necessary
• Bladder control problems are not a normal process of aging and should not affect your desire to exercise or lead an active life

Urologists train specifically to handle these types of urinary problems and treat thousands of patients a day with problems similar to yours. So don’t put it off any longer and contact a physician today. It’s simple, just click on our Find a Doctor section to locate a urologist in your area to assist you in evaluation and treatment of your bladder control problem.