There are several defferent kinds of urinary incontinence. The basic categories include stress incontinence and urge incontinence.
Urinary incontinence (UI) can exert a profound effect on a woman’s ability to engage in her usual activities. Unfortunately, many women fail to seek treatment because they believe that this disorder is a normal and unavoidable consequence of aging. And, all too often, physicians’ lack awareness of the many diagnostic and therapeutic options, thus perpetuating this myth.
Incontinence which accounts for billions of dollars in health cost annually, can have a devastating social and psychological impact on sufferers. It can dramatically undermine their sense of well-being and confidence and is strongly associated with depression.
UI is the most common indication for nursing home admissions, with some 50% of residents of nursing homes and 53% of homebound elderly persons affected. With proper management, however, approximately one third of all cases of UI can be resolved and another third can be improved even without effecting a complete cure, improvement may mean the difference between a socially debilitating condition and a mere annoyance. Primary care physicians are on the front line in combating this problem. With proper screening and discretion, they can provide substantial relief in most cases. Alternatively, many practitioners prefer to refer such patients to an expert in the field. While many practitioners are familiar with the basics of the evaluation, most have neither the time nor the expertise to provide the full relief that patients expect.