Causes of urinary incontinence in the elderly

Normally, urine is excreted by the kidneys and stored in the bladder, when the bladder is filled with urine, there will be a reflex through nerves to the brain; From there, there is a command nerve flow back to the bladder, causing the bladder to contract to push urine out, creating a state of urination.
For the elderly, the function of the kidneys and bladder is less active, so the urine in the bladder is not completely expelled and the bladder sphincter cannot be controlled, so it causes urinary disorders in the elderly. age , specifically urine leakage in cases like coughing, sneezing,...
Urinary incontinence is a sign or symptom of urinary tract dysfunction, common and uncomfortable in humans elderly. The incidence of urinary incontinence increases with age and the degree of physical impairment.
Urinary incontinence in the elderly causes trouble for both patients and caregivers; creating low self-esteem, low self-esteem, limiting social communication, worse, causing incontinence, mental disorder, and patient's happiness.

Besides, urinary incontinence can cause urinary tract infections because urine stagnates in the bladder, causing bladder infections, then causing inflammation upstream to the kidneys, causing pyelonephritis, pus stasis. , if not detected and treated promptly can lead to kidney failure .

Urinary incontinence in the elderly is caused by the autonomic nervous system and bladder of the patient. Some causes of urinary incontinence in the elderly include:
Overactive diuresis: Overactivity of the diuresis (possibly due to bladder stones or tumors) makes the bladder unable to function properly. inhibited, leading to urinary disorders in the elderly. This is the most common cause of urinary incontinence in the elderly. Psychological: Mental state, nervous instability, most commonly stress, delirium, restlessness, anxiety cause urinary incontinence in the elderly Urinary tract infection: For the elderly, The function of the kidneys and bladder are reduced, so when urinating, the urine cannot be expelled completely, leading to urinary tract infections causing urinary incontinence. Some other diseases cause urinary incontinence in the elderly: atrophic vaginitis and atrophic urethritis; prostate gland in men; diabetes causes a lot of thirst, so drink a lot of water and urinate a lot; heart failure ... or because obesity causes weight gain, pressure on the bladder.

Due to the use of certain drugs: Medicines can also cause urinary incontinence in the elderly. Some drugs that cause urinary incontinence in the elderly include: Diuretics; psychotropic drugs; Antidepressants ; antipsychotics; antipsychotics; anticholinergic; anesthesia - anti-pain; alpha adrenergic agonist; an ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor. Restriction of movement: Restriction of movement such as inactivity, paralysis, old age and weakness... or due to the influence of chairs... If normal movement is restored, it can be overcome. Urinary incontinence in the elderly. Spinal cord disease or constipation, poor bowel movements: In addition to the above causes, diseases of the spinal cord, constipation or poor bowel movements also cause urine to leak in the elderly. Decreased lung function: Lungs directly affect the secretion and regulation of water in the bladder. If the function of the lungs is reduced and the function of the autonomic nervous system is disturbed, the bladder function is unstable, causing urinary incontinence.

Do not drink stimulants: Elderly people with urinary incontinence should not use caffeinated beverages, because these substances will stimulate the central nervous system, relax the urethral sphincter, and be a diuretic. , ... should cause urgent urination, frequent urination. Exercise regularly: Especially the elderly should do Kegel exercises to both lose weight, reduce pressure on the bladder, increase the amount of urine contained, so it will limit urine leakage. Control the amount of water: Every day should only drink 1500-2000ml of water is reasonable, should limit drinking water in the evening, especially before going to bed.

Exercise bladder and urination habits: It is recommended to urinate at the hour, avoid urinating as soon as you feel the need to urinate, this can improve symptoms after a few months, suitable for urgent urinary incontinence and mixed urinary incontinence. Treating the cause of urinary incontinence in the elderly: Certain diseases (heart failure, diabetes, obstructive pulmonary disease, mental disorders, cognitive disorders,...) cause polyuria. , increased intra-abdominal pressure, central nervous system disorders,... leading to urinary incontinence. Therefore, it is necessary to treat diseases definitively to prevent urinary incontinence in the elderly.. Vinmec International General Hospital with a system of facilities, modern medical equipment and a team of staff Experts and doctors with many years of experience in the examination and treatment of neurological diseases, patients can rest assured that they will be examined and treated at the Hospital.
To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online HERE.

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