Urinary and Pelvic Health

Bladder issues are like so many health-related concerns - the sooner you recognize and decide to deal with them, the easier they are to treat. A sudden need to urinate without warning, leaking urine, and frequent urination are all forms of urinary incontinence, which is generally defined as a lack of bladder control. While there are many causes, the most basic is a gradual weakening of the pelvic nerves, organs, and smooth muscles that are meant to work together to control urination. Inner pelvic muscles stretch with pregnancy, gravity, trauma, and age. Muscles can lose their elasticity with lack of use and loss of estrogen. Organs actually shift, often pressing directly on the bladder. Scarring from surgery, injury, or infection disrupts the natural positioning of the organs inside the pelvic area. In some cases the bladder or urethra becomes damaged or chronically inflamed and then malfunctions. Medications (including synthetic hormone replacement therapy), chronic infection, surgery, radiation, adhesions, and disease are other factors that affect bladder function and the architecture of the muscles and nerves in the pelvis - contributing to issues with incontinence. Systemic yeast and hysterectomies are also common causes. There is no one answer for all people in correcting urinary incontinence. But like so many problems with the human body, we focus on what we can control - because that is how we find solutions.