This article covers a lot of ground regarding urinary incontinence and by the time you have finished reading it you will have a good idea of what urinary incontinence is, what causes it and what you can do about it.

In a normal situation you bladder sends signals to your brain when it is becoming full and your brain lets you know that it is time to go and relieve yourself. Even when full it is normal for people to be able to maintain control of their bladder until the opportunity to visit the toilet presents itself. When we discuss urinary incontinence we are talking about a situation where this is not the case and the nerves either send no messages, the wrong messages or muscle relaxation limits the control of the bladder. In each case the result is urine leakage.

It can affect anyone but by far the majority of sufferers are elderly and two thirds are female. It is believed that the odds of urinary incontinence are higher in women who have given birth.

Urinary problems stem from the bladder, which is responsible for the collection of urine after it has passed through the kidneys. There are a number of factors that dictate the speed the bladder fills including fluid intake, perspiration and how recently and how much is eaten, however it's important to note the process is continual throughout the day. The bladder can hold approximately 350ml of urine and starts sending signals to the brain hinting at being emptied only after it contains 280ml.

Incontinence becomes a problem when the pelvic floor muscles located beneath the bladder become weaker and begin leaking urine. This is also why women who have given birth are at a greater risk.

How can Urinary Incontinence Be Treated?

The treatment will depend mainly on the type of Urinary Incontinence suffered and will take into consideration the patients general health and emotional situation. most people will discuss the issue with their doctor and be able to manage it quite effectively without having to look and more involved forms of treatment such as surgery. The most common (and effective) treatment is strengthening the pelvic floor muscles to shut off the opportunity of urine leakage. This is achieved with a type of pelvic floor muscle exercise called kegel exercises. The exercises are very discreet and teach the patient which muscle group to be aware of and how to tense and release them effectively. In fact once learned the exercises can be performed practically anywhere without those around you even realizing what you are doing.

What is truly remarkable about these simple exercises is how effective they are in treating Urinary Incontinence. Approximately 80% of people who are correctly taught them will be successful provided they are prepared to continue doing the exercises on a regular basis. initially this means between ten and fifteen repetitions 3 times or more a day.

If Kegel exercises are not successful in dealing with the incontinence problem then a doctor should be consulted and will be able to perform an examination of the pelvic muscles and organs to see if a more serious cause can be found. In this case it is not unusual to be referred on to an incontinence advisor or qualified physiotherapist for expert advise.