Do you know where the bathroom is in all your favorite stores? Are you afraid of laughing or sneezing out of fear that you might leak urine or have an accident? Do you sometimes have difficulty making it to the toilet in time, even in the middle of night? Is traveling long distances—even short trips—in the car a challenge?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may be suffering from urinary incontinence. The loss of bladder control can be a potentially embarrassing problem for many and slowly affect people’s daily activities. Many times those with loss of bladder control will stop playing actively with their children because they are afraid they might have an accident if they do anything physically strenuous like running or jumping.

You may be too embarrassed to tell your doctor you’re having accidents, or you may believe it’s a normal part of aging. But incontinence is not inevitable with age, and it can be treated—usually through simple behavioral changes or medication.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

A recent report on urinary incontinence found that a surprising 1 in 4 U.S. adults—approximately 25 million Americans—will experience the condition, but few seek medical help. In addition, women are 4 to 5 times more likely than men to have bladder issues. As the population ages, the National Institutes of Health is urging people not to suffer in silence.

TYPES OF INCONTINENCE & POTENTIAL CAUSES

The two most common types of incontinence are: stress incontinence and urge incontinence, also called overactive bladder. Causes could range from weak pelvic floor muscles to health conditions such as diabetes, an enlarged prostate, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease. In many cases, excess weight and lack of physical activity, in addition to age, can contribute to incontinence. But, please don’t let fear affect your lifestyle or cause your doctor to miss a diagnosis.

PUT AN END TO INCONTINENCE

To mention the topic with your doctor, simply say that you go to the bathroom too often or that you have bladder problems. Two other things you can do before seeing your doctor include:

• Keeping a log of when you urinate, whether it was a lot or a little, when you had accidents, and what you were doing at the time.
• Noting when and what you eat and drink will also help your doctor diagnose the cause of leakage.

SEEING A UROLOGIST IS EASY

There is no need to suffer in silence any longer from urology issues. If you experience urinary leakage, talk with your primary care physician about the many treatment options. Another option is to schedule an appointment with one of our urologists at Bingham Memorial Urology. They are southeast Idaho’s first team of urologists to have offices in Idaho Falls, Blackfoot, and Pocatello.

DR. J. DAVID SULE, MD—UROLOGIST

Sees patients in Pocatello & Blackfoot

If you or a loved one have any questions, Dr. Sule has offices in Pocatello and Blackfoot. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Sule by calling (208) 233-8770.

DR. DAVID SISUL, MD—UROLOGIST

Sees patients in Idaho Falls & Blackfoot

If you or a loved one have any questions, Dr. Sisul see patients in Idaho Falls & Blackfoot. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Sisul by calling (208) 535-3626.