Urinary incontinence isn’t a normal part of aging

While on your way to the shopping mall, do you review in your mind the exact location of each and every bathroom before you get there? When you're out having fun with friends, do you consciously suppress laughing for fear of wetting yourself? As you insert the key into the lock on the door to your house or apartment, are you overwhelmed by an uncontrollable urge to urinate? Do you leak urine when you cough or sneeze?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have urinary incontinence  the inability to hold urine until you can get to a bathroom. You may experience only occasional, minor leaks or dribbles of urine. Or your problem may be so severe that you wet yourself frequently. Urinary incontinence is generally defined as the involuntary loss of urine that's severe enough to be a social or personal hygiene problem. Doctors generally provide a diagnosis of urinary incontinence when urine leakage is sufficient enough to have a negative effect on your quality of life, especially in social situations.

Here's the truth. Urinary incontinence isn't a normal part of childbearing or aging. It has many causes, some relatively simple and temporary and others more involved and long term. And although it's a medical condition, urinary incontinence can also affect other aspects of your life, including your finances and psychological well-being.

For more information
If you would like more information on incontinence, see the book "Mayo Clinic on Managing Incontinence."

Urinary incontinence can be treated, and in many cases, it can be eliminated entirely. Even when it can't be completely eliminated, proper treatment can ease the discomfort and inconvenience of incontinence and improve your quality of life. And with today's medical advances, most people with urinary incontinence can be helped in some way.

An estimated $20 billion a year is spent in the United States to treat and manage urinary incontinence. About one-third of that money goes toward diagnosis and treatment. If you've been struggling with urinary incontinence, then you may know all too well how the condition can affect your pocketbook. The cost of absorbent pads and other products for managing the condition can add up.

Urinary incontinence can also take an emotional toll. Embarrassment associated with the condition can lead to social withdrawal, depression, anxiety and even sexual dysfunction. One study found that women with severe urinary incontinence were 80 percent more likely to experience significant depression, compared with women who weren't incontinent. In another study, researchers found that men and women with urinary incontinence had a 50 percent higher risk  of having symptoms of anxiety, compared with men and women who didn't have incontinence.

If you're having a problem with urinary incontinence, you may be reluctant to talk with your doctor about it. Studies suggest that at least half of the people struggling with urinary incontinence don't report the problem to their doctors or other health care professionals. You may be embarrassed to talk about it, as many people are. Or you may have convinced yourself that urinary incontinence is something you just have to learn to live with. You may believe the common misconception that urinary incontinence is an inevitable consequence of childbearing, menopause or just growing older  and that it's a waste of time to try to do anything about it. Even some doctors take this view.

If you're having trouble with urinary incontinence, don't let embarrassment get the better of you. See your doctor. If he or she doesn't have a positive attitude about treating incontinence, then seek another care provider, perhaps someone who specializes in treating incontinence. Although urinary incontinence isn't a disease, it often indicates an underlying condition that likely can be treated. A thorough evaluation by your doctor can help determine what's behind your incontinence. Once you've made that important first step to get an evaluation, you'll be well on your way to regaining a more active and confident life.