Gurgaon :  It is a very common and often debilitating ailment, yet it is hardly taken seriously by people. Despite hampering normal life, urinary incontinence or loss of bladder control that leads to leakage of urine or dribbling is often accepted by the elderly as a part of their ageing process. However, it can be controlled and managed with proper medical intervention that can radically improve the quality of loves of the affected.

Often, embarrassment or a sense of shame prevents people from discussing their urinary problems, but this attitude needs to be changed. Moreover, people need to be made aware that medical intervention and lifestyle changes can help.

This was the underlying theme of ‘Coffee with  Urologist’, a special interactive session in which two leading Urologists of Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon, held an informal talk with patients about urinary problems and their solutions.

Dr Anurag Khaitan, Senior Consultant, Urology and Dr Sandeep Harkar, Consultant, Urology held the talk session this morning at the hospital auditorium that was attended by several senior citizens who have experienced the problem of urinary incontinence and their family members.

‘Do you have a weak bladder? Risk factors, prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence in the elderly?’ was the subject off the hour long session which saw the doctors deliver some valuable advice and knowledge to the attendees.

People often experience problems with their urinary system but sometimes they ignore them thinking it might be due to inadequate water consumption. Often, they feel uncomfortable talking about it and hope the problem subsides on its own.

A major urinary issue that people often find it difficult to live with is loss of bladder control or urinary incontinence. Losing control of your bladder leading to frequent need to urinate can be a devastation condition. It can not only throw your life off track but also cause severe embarrassment. Such patients are often mocked at by people who hardly understand that loss of control over the bladder is a medical problem.

“Urinary incontinence that results in sudden loss of bladder control is both embarrassing and distressing. For a person who has lost control over her bladder life can be very difficult. It means she would lead a restricted life, think twice before stepping out of the house, and will be unable to undertake journeys. In short, she will lead a life that is far from normal. By no means shall this condition be taken as a way of life, especially today, when there are possible medical interventions that can provide relief,” says Dr Anurag Khaitan, Sr Consultant Urology,  Paras Hospiatls, Gurgaon.

However, due to low levels of awareness, many cases go untreated and many patients keep suffering in silence and embarrassment.

Poor urinary control and incontinence in males may be due to enlarged prostate or various other medical conditions like diabetes, parkinsonism, stroke, etc,”explained Dr Sandeep Harkar, Consultant Urology,  Paras Hospiatls, Gurgaon. while speaking on the topic of male incontinence.

As a matter of fact, the problem of loss of bladder control is more common in women than in men. During pregnancy, when babies push down the bladder and urethra (the tube through which we urinate), this weakens muscles of the pelvic floor and the bladder. Labor can weaken pelvic floor muscles and damage nerves that control the bladder. After menopause too, women experience problems with bladder control.

The doctors not only delivered a talk on the subject but also interacted freely with the patients, some of whom were dealing with health issues.

Urinary incontinence may be of several kinds and different forms of incontinence need different approach to treatment. Urge incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine occuring while suddenly feeling the need or urge to urinate. Stress incontinence is loss of urine that occurs simultaneously with physical activities that increase abdominal pressure like sneezing, coughing or performing exercises. On the other hand functional incontinence occurs when a person does not recognize the need to go to the toilet in time while overflow incontinence is when people cannot stop their bladder from dribbling constantly.

In some patients adotping some behavioral changes may help. They involve decreasing your fluid intake to average levels, urinating more frequently to decrease the amount of urine they leak and dietary or medical treatments to help keep regular bowel habits as constipation can worsen the problem. Weight loss has also been shown to help decrease symptoms in overweight people.