Miscellaneous

How do you treat incontinence in elderly women?

How do you treat incontinence in elderly women?

Vaginal estrogen cream may help relieve urge or stress incontinence. A low dose of estrogen cream is applied directly to the vaginal walls and urethral tissue. Bulking agents can be used to help close the bladder opening.

What is the most common kind of urinary incontinence in the elderly?

Urinary urge incontinence (detrusor hyperactivity, spastic bladder) is the most common type of incontinence in late middle to older age.

Can elderly incontinence be cured?

Under a doctor’s care, incontinence can be treated and often cured. Today there are more treatments for urinary incontinence than ever before.

How do you control urinary incontinence in the elderly?

General measures include moderation of fluid intake to about 1.5 litres/day, reduced intake of caffeine-rich drinks, treatment of aggravating conditions such as urinary infection, oestrogen deficiency, increased solute load as in diabetes mellitus and uraemia, and drugs like diuretics, sedatives and antidepressants.

Is incontinence a normal part of aging?

Just because it is a common complaint does not make it an inevitable consequence of getting older. In fact, younger women, and especially young athletes, suffer from bladder leakage. One in four women between 18 and 59 have involuntary leakage. Aging may increase the likelihood, but it is not preordained.

Why do elderly become incontinent?

Urinary incontinence increases with rising age. Ageing is associated with changes in the lower urinary tract which predispose an elderly to UI. As we age, bladder capacity and contractility reduce, with reduced ability to defer voiding once the urge to do so arises.

Is Cranberry good for incontinence?

Many people claim that cranberry juice relieves symptoms of urinary tract infections, but cranberries are acidic. Much like tomatoes and citrus fruits, cranberries can potentially irritate your bladder and cause urge incontinence. You might be tempted to try cranberry juice for relief, but it may worsen your symptoms.