
Help! I have urinary leaks!
Estelle TholletShare
How to manage female urinary leaks?
A few drops of urine in your underwear, and it's a disaster: you have urinary leaks! This subject, often still taboo, nevertheless affects many women, at any time in their lives. Contrary to popular belief, urinary leaks are not necessarily associated with age or pregnancy, you can suffer from it without having had children, or while being young. So, don't let urinary incontinence ruin your life, solutions exist to treat it or better manage it on a daily basis!
How to manage female urinary incontinence?
A few drops of urine in your underwear, and it's a disaster: you have urinary leaks! This subject, often still taboo, nevertheless affects many women, at any time in their lives. Contrary to popular belief, urinary leaks are not necessarily associated with age or pregnancy, you can suffer from it without having had children, or while being young. So, don't let urinary incontinence ruin your life, solutions exist to treat it or better manage it on a daily basis!
Urinary incontinence: definition
What exactly is urinary incontinence? It's the uncontrollable and involuntary loss of urine, which can occur day or night. Often disabling and uncomfortable, urinary leakage can take many forms: periodic, chronic, significant, or minor. Let's try to understand the possible causes of this urinary disorder.
What causes urinary leakage?
Pregnancy and childbirth
Throughout pregnancy, the unborn baby puts pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, which lose tone. Similarly, vaginal delivery and the pushing to expel the baby weaken the perineum. #urinary leaks during pregnancy
Age and menopause
During menopause, the female body experiences hormonal changes that can affect the tone of the pelvic floor muscles. Bladder prolapse can even occur during this time, when the muscles are too weak to support the bladder.
Taking certain medications
Certain medications can also trigger urinary leakage, such as taking antidepressants, nasal decongestants, or muscle relaxants.
Food
Certain foods and drinks can irritate the bladder and cause urinary incontinence. These include coffee, alcohol, sugary soft drinks, and spicy or acidic foods.
Obesity
Being overweight can put additional pressure on the bladder, making it more difficult to control, especially during exercise.
Chronic diseases
Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, or diabetes...so many chronic health problems that affect the nerves and disrupt bladder control.
What causes urinary leakage in women?
Stress incontinence
You may have already experienced this situation: you sneeze and/or cough a little hard and you feel a small stream of urine spread into your underwear. This is called stress incontinence, which is the most common incontinence in women. A small amount of urine is released following pressure in the abdomen, due to physical exertion, sneezing, coughing, laughing out loud, etc. This disorder is the result of the weakening of the pelvic floor, which fortunately is not irreversible.
Overflow incontinence
This type of incontinence occurs when the bladder is too full and "overflows." You may not feel the need to go to the bathroom. If the bladder empties poorly and cannot empty completely, it is generally due to an obstruction (tumor, polyp, stone, etc.) or muscle weakness. #nighttime urinary leaks
Urge incontinence
You may feel a strong, urgent need to urinate due to uncontrolled bladder spasms, and may not have time to reach the toilet. This is called urge incontinence. This urinary disorder occurs in both men and women.
What are the solutions for managing urinary leaks?
Pelvic floor rehabilitation
While surgery may be recommended in the most serious and chronic cases, rest assured, for periodic urinary leaks, or incontinence following pregnancy, there are solutions, including pelvic floor rehabilitation. These sessions can be followed by a midwife or gynecologist. There are different techniques for strengthening your pelvic floor: voluntary muscle contractions, repeated daily until improvement. The idea is to become aware of each muscle that makes up the pelvic floor in order to tighten them successively. The second commonly used technique is electrostimulation: the healthcare professional then uses a probe that sends low-intensity currents to stimulate the muscles.
Period protection: protection for urinary leaks
While urinary leakage may be unpleasant and inconvenient, it shouldn't prevent you from living, going out, exercising, having a love life, and being fulfilled every day. There are discreet and comfortable period protection products to accompany you every day and help you forget these inconveniences. Discover the washable panty liners or thong liners from Sacrée Française, made from Oeko-Tex Standard 100 eco-labeled materials. Invisible under leggings, for example, they'll be forgotten during your runs or workouts and will provide you with security, comfort, and softness.
If you experience symptoms of urinary incontinence , it is important to consult a doctor, gynecologist or midwife, who will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and direct you towards appropriate solutions.