In an article devoted to women’s urinary incontinence, Mayo Clinic staff members acknowledge that talking about bladder control problems is difficult.
But the article urges women who experience bladder control problems to get help, because the condition is treatable and not all doctors routinely ask about urinary function during an exam.
“Leaking urine, having to urinate frequently and experiencing other symptoms of urinary incontinence aren’t trivial consequences of childbirth or a natural part of aging,” the article states.
A number of treatments are available, including surgery, medication and physical therapy. But some treatments have caused problems for women who received them.
Vaginal mesh implants, for exampled, have prompted thousands of lawsuits due to their tendency to fail and cause health problems. The most common reported problem is the vaginal mesh eroding and sticking through the walls of the bladder and vagina, causing severe pain.
According to the article, bladder control problems may require medical attention because they:
- Indicate a serious underlying medical condition, such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis.
- Cause you to restrict your physical activities.
- Lead you to withdraw from social interactions.
- Increase your risk of falling if you have balance problems and you often rush to the bathroom to avoid leaking urine
You should consider a visit with your primary care provider if:
- You’re embarrassed by urine leakage, and you avoid certain activities because of it.
- You often feel urgency to urinate and rush to a bathroom but sometimes don’t make it in time.
- You have frequent bladder infections.
- You urinate much more frequently than you used to, even when you don’t have a bladder infection.
- You experience pain that’s unrelated to a bladder infection when your bladder fills and when you urinate.
- You often feel the need to urinate, but you’re unable to pass urine.
- You notice that your urine stream is getting progressively weaker, and you feel as if you can’t empty your bladder completely.
If you’ve received a vaginal mesh implant, you should consult with a doctor if you have any ongoing symptoms or health concerns. If you have significant injuries, you should also consult with a mesh lawyer to discuss your legal rights.
See more information here:
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bladder-control-problems/WO00117
