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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffComplications of chronic urinary incontinence include:
- Skin problems. Urinary incontinence can lead to rashes, skin infections and sores (skin ulcers) from constantly wet skin.
- Urinary tract infections. Incontinence increases your risk of repeated urinary tract infections.
- Changes in your activities. Urinary incontinence may keep you from participating in normal activities. You may stop exercising, quit attending social gatherings or even stop venturing away from familiar areas where you know the locations of toilets.
- Changes in your work life. Urinary incontinence may negatively affect your work life. Your urge to urinate may keep you away from your desk or cause you to have to get up often during meetings. The problem may disrupt your concentration at work or keep you awake at night, causing fatigue.
- Changes in your personal life. Perhaps most distressing is the impact incontinence can have on your personal life. Your family may not understand your behavior or may grow frustrated at your many trips to the toilet. You may avoid sexual intimacy because of embarrassment caused by urine leakage. It's not uncommon to experience anxiety and depression along with incontinence.
The good news, however, is that incontinence isn't something you necessarily have to live with. Most cases of incontinence can be eliminated or controlled, especially when treatment begins early.
References
- Urge urinary incontinence/overactive bladder. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/types-of-incontinence/urge-incontinence. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Non-surgical treatment for female stress urinary incontinence. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/types-of-incontinence/stress-incontinence/non-surgical-treatment-for-female-stress-urinary-incontinence. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- DuBeau CE. Treatment of urinary incontinence. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Herbruck LF. Stress urinary incontinence: An overview of diagnosis and treatment options. Urology Nursing. 2008;28:186.
- Cartwright R, et al. Current management of overactive bladder. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2008;20:489.
- Urinary incontinence. National Institute on Aging. http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/urinary.htm. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Seeking treatment. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/seeking-treatment. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Interstitial cystitis/Painful bladder syndrome. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/interstitialcystitis. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- How medications affect your bladder. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/types-of-incontinence/urge-incontinence/medications. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Facts and statistics. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/media/media-kit/facts-statistics. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Urinary incontinence: What every man should know. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/what-is-incontinence/what-every-man-should-know. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- What I need to know about prostate problems. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostate_ez/#prostatitis. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Urinary incontinence in women. National Association for Continence. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/uiwomen/index.htm#evaluation. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Cystoscopy and ureteroscopy. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/cystoscopy. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- Peterson JA. Minimize urinary incontinence: Maximize physical activity in women. Urology Nursing. 2008;28:351.
- Karsenty G, et al. Botulinum toxin A (Botox) intradetrusor injections in adults with neurogenic detrusor overactivity/neurogenic overactive bladder: A systematic literature review. European Association of Urology. 2008;53:275.
- Artificial urinary sphincter. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/uploads///pdf/educational%20brochures/OnlineAUS.pdf. Accessed May 17, 2009.
- Surgery for urinary incontinence. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp166.cfm. Accessed May 17, 2009.
- Surgical treatment for female stress urinary incontinence. National Association for Continence. http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/types-of-incontinence/stress-incontinence/surgical-treatment-for-female-stress-urinary-incontinence. Accessed May 17, 2009.
- Khan F, et al. Surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 17, 2009.
- Cespedes RD. Is injection therapy for stress urinary incontinence dead? No. Urology. 2009;73:11.
- Christofi N, et al. An evidence-based approach to lifestyle interventions in urogynaecology. Menopause International. 2007;13:154.
