Advice Centre

Information and advice about incontinence care and bladder weakness

Who does it affect?

Bladder weakness can affect anyone; Women, Men and Children at any age. You may be surprised to learn that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men will suffer from some form of bladder weakness at some point in their lives.

What causes of bladder weakness?

The most common cause of bladder weakness is a weakened pelvic floor muscle, which keeps the urethra closed.

For women, bladder weakness is a common side effect of pregnancy and childbirth caused by hormonal changes and the pressure on the bladder from the womb which weakens the pelvic floor muscles. The hormonal changes which take place during the menopause can also be a contributing factor to bladder weakness

For men, there is no single cause for bladder weakness but prostate troubles and infections of the urinary tract are often common factors.

Medical conditions can also cause bladder weakness or it can be a side effect of certain medications

What are the medical terms for bladder weakness?

There are four main medical terms for the different types of bladder weakness;  
Stress Incontinence – the most common type of female bladder weakness due to a weak pelvic floor muscle. Coughing, laughing and sneezing may cause a small amount of leakage but this is usually a temporary condition which can be improved by doing pelvic floor exercises.

Urge Incontinence – when you experience a sudden urge to go to the toilet. The exact cause is not known but it is thought that the bladder sends signals to the brain indicating that it is fuller than it actually is. There are some steps you can take to help this.

Functional Incontinence – when it becomes difficult to reach the toilet in time and is often caused by a physical or mental illness.

Neurological Bladder Disorders – neurological illness or brain injuries can interrupt the communication between the brain and bladder causing the bladder to empty.

What can I do?

Small lifestyle changes can make a huge difference;

Exercise

Practicing pelvic floor exercise can help greatly with stress incontinence and some cases of urge continence. The majority of people practicing these exercises are likely to see an improvement within 3-6 months.

Keep a drinking balance

Try to keep a balance and drink when you need to. Although it’s tempting to drink less this may actually irritate your bladder making you want to go more!

Maintain a healthy weight

There is a link between being overweight and bladder weakness so maintaining a healthy weight is important.
 

Common triggers

Caffeine, alcohol and fizzy drinks are diuretics which make you want to visit the toilet more often. While you don’t have to cut these out altogether it would help to cut back.

For more information and advice contact;

Bladder & Bowel Foundation at www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org

Or contact your local GP