How common is Incontinence?
If you suffer with a weak bladder you’re not alone, as it is estimated that one third of women in the UK suffers from incontinence. A lot of women choose to suffer with incontinence rather than seek help for the problem in the first instance. There is often a belief that the problem will rectify itself. One of the major problems with incontinence is the feeling of embarrassment that comes with having to discuss the issue, even with a health professional. After pregnancy, there is plenty of information given to new mums about the chances of suffering with incontinence, and it isn’t so difficult to broach the subject with a health visitor or doctor. But for those women who don’t have that opportunity, it’s only when the problem starts to badly affect day-to-day life that help is sought. If you are suffering from this problem there are many solutions available depending on the type of incontinence. Your GP can quickly refer you to a specialist clinic.
There are Four main types of Incontinence
Stress Incontinence
This is the most common type of incontinence, and occurs due to a weakening in the sphincter muscles which lead from the bladder. The muscles cannot hold the urine within the bladder quite as effectively, so actions such as sneezing, bending and coughing produces sufficient pressure on the bladder to allow urine to leak. Women quite often develop this type of incontinence, particularly after pregnancy. The muscles and tissues which make up the pelvic floor can become weakened, making it harder to squeeze the sphincter muscles and stop urine escaping.
Urge Incontinence
In urge incontinence, the muscles which control bladder emptying become overactive, contracting too strongly or too easily. The pressure can overwhelm the sphincter muscles leading from the bladder, with the result of urine leaking. It isn’t really clear what causes this to happen, but its known to be a problem between the nerves and the muscles in the bladder. About three in every 10 cases of incontinence are stress incontinence, with more women affected by it than men. After stress incontinence, urge incontinence is the second most common form of bladder incontinence.
Overflow Incontinence
Overflow incontinence is the opposite of urge incontinence. The urine is retained in the bladder and sufferers find it really difficult to pass urine despite having a full bladder. Men quite often suffer with this form of incontinence due to an enlarged prostate gland. The prostate is situated adjacently to the tube which leads from the bladder to the exit (called the urethra), and this enlargement places pressure on the tube squeezing it into a narrower diameter. Women can also suffer this type of incontinence as well with the common causes being constipation, cystoceles (fallen bladder), or even some types of medication.
Mixed Incontinence
This is stress incontinence combined with urge incontinence. The muscles of the pelvic floor become weak whilst the muscles in the bladder become overactive. Urine may leak by coughing and the muscles in the bladder may increase the feelings of urgency and leaking before the bladder can be emptied.
Botox treatment for Urge Incontinence or Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Botox is unable to treat all the different types of incontinence. This is because each type of incontinence has a different reason for its cause. Botox it is incredibly effective in treating urge incontinence, or urge incontinence symptoms of mixed incontinence, because of the underlying neuromuscular cause. If you happen to suffer with one of the other types, there are some other very effective treatments available which your doctor will be able to advise you with.
The Botox treatment is so successful for urge incontinence because it is able to act on the overactive muscles in the bladder. Botox is a neurotoxin that is able to temporarily paralyse the contractions in a muscle by blocking the nerve signals to that muscle. The paralysis will ease the symptoms and can totally alleviate them in some cases. Nearly all patients who undergo the treatment report a significant improvement. Botox is not permanent, so the treatment needs to be repeated regularly. For most people, this is every six to ten months.
The procedure involves injecting Botox into the affected muscles in the bladder. This is usually done under a general anaesthetic, with the surgeon accessing the bladder through the urethra. He or she is guided within the bladder by using a very small camera called a cystoscope. The treatment usually starts to ‘kick in’ a few days after the procedure, so the results are not immediate. Many people start to notice an improvement after around four days. Following a successful treatment, the procedure can be repeated once the effects begin to lessen.
There are some NHS centres who can offer this treatment via a referral to a specialist clinic. The treatment is a relatively new one. Some people prefer to be referred to a private clinic for the treatment, as they can offer a much faster referral and treatment without a waiting list. There are surgeons who are specialised in the procedure at many private clinics, and your GP can easily refer you to an accredited private surgeon.