Bladder Problems - What Goes Wrong?
There are a number of common problems that cause bladder leakage:
- Weak pelvic floor muscles. If you imagine you are riding a bike, this group of muscles would be sitting on the saddle. Muscle weakness in this area means there is a lack of support for the bladder neck. Leaks occur when the area is put under strain eg sneezing, laughing.
- An over active bladder.
The bladder is basically a muscular sack which should only empty when it is completely full. There are a complex set of reflexes that control the bladder and sometimes they become faulty and trigger the muscle to contract without warning. The sensation comes on as a strong urge which can result in accidents. Often women feel they were desperate to pass water but may only pass small amounts.
Many women have a combination of both types of incontinence. Whatever the reason, you can begin to lose confidence in your bladder and fall into the habit of nipping to the toilet 'just in case'. Over a period of time the capacity of the bladder to hold fluid becomes reduced which means you need to empty it more often. The whole situation then becomes a vicious circle.