Urinary incontinence in women after 50-70 years, treatment with folk remedies

Urinary incontinence in old age in women (synonym: incontinence) is a severe negative impact from a medical, personal and social point of view.

The frequency of the phenomenon changes according to the conditions and is 5-15% from the entire adult population living at home, 20-30% from the number of hospitalized, up to 70% in nursing homes. Basically, problems with incontinence in the female half begin at the age of 50-70 years.

Often, urinary incontinence is associated with significant medical conditions, including the insertion of an indwelling catheter into the bladder, sepsis in the organs of the urinary system, bedsores in bedridden patients and cystitis in women.

Signs and symptoms

• imperative (urgent) urinary incontinence (periodic uncontrolled urinary leakage);
• a woman, when urging, cannot endure until the toilet;
• frequent and unusual urge to urinate.

Types and causes of urinary incontinence in old age

Incontinence is the inability to control urination.

It can be temporary or permanent, and it can also result from multiple problems in the urinary tract.

Incontinence is generally divided into four types:

• Stressful type of pathology - arises as a result of weakening or improper functioning of the sphincter of the urethra and, in case of a stressful situation, it will manifest itself as negative symptoms, the release of urine. In addition to a stressful situation, pregnancy, childbirth, surgery and age-related changes can provoke the development of this type of pathology.
• Imperative type - with excessive reactivity of the bladder, even a minimal portion of urine can provoke the urge to go to the toilet, etc. The reason for the development of this type of incontinence is stress.
• Iatrogenic type of pathology - Certain medications, diuretics, antidepressants and certain hormonal drugs can provoke this type of urinary incontinence.
• Other types of pathology - they can be provoked by organic causes of root causes, such as oncology, injuries and strokes, certain diseases, for example, multiple sclerosis or stroke. In each individual case, the urologist establishes the cause after a complete examination and examination of the woman. You should never practice self-diagnosis.

Provoking factors

Urinary incontinence in women after 50 years of age can be triggered by the following factors and reasons:

• stretching of the pelvic muscles due to frequent pregnancy and childbirth; women with gestational diabetes are at higher risk;
• Weakened muscles that control urination (urethral sphincter and pelvic floor muscles)
• the period of menopause, during which hormonal changes in the body take place and the level of estrogen decreases;
• certain conditions that damage the nerve pathways from the bladder to the brain, for example:
  • ​Minor's disease
  • stroke
  • senile dementia
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • multiple sclerosis
• recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs);
• the wrong combination of drugs;
• dysfunction of the hip joint;
• unsuccessful surgery on the front thighs;
• inflammatory processes affecting the organs and the urinary system itself.

In addition, excess weight can become the reasons for such an unpleasant phenomenon as urinary incontinence, to a certain degree obesity, as there is additional pressure on the abdominal muscles, muscles and pelvic floor provoking involuntary selection.

None of the factors mentioned lead directly to incontinences, but are considered only supportive factors.

Diagnostics

To make the correct diagnosis, a urologist is needed, she prescribes a comprehensive examination:

• collection of data on the course of the disease, on the very nature and frequency of urine discharge, the intensity and volume, the number of births, whether there were surgical interventions and whether the person suffers from diseases;
• vaginal (internal) examination - at this stage, the doctor takes a smear for a laboratory study of the environment of the vagina and cervix;
• do an ultrasound of the ureter, bladder, kidneys. This is necessary in order for the doctor to establish the presence and absence of inflammation.

In addition to this, a general Analysis of urine designed to detect infections (hematuria and glucosuria).

It is important to emphasize that the elderly often suffer from asymptomatic bacteriuria that does not cause incontinence and does not require treatment, except for patients in whom leakage has appeared recently or is accompanied by a high fever, burning sensation with urinating.

Checking the small pelvis

Women need pelvic examinations. The following reasons:

• Atrophic vaginitis can cause or worsen the course of urinary incontinence.
• During the test, the ability to contract the muscles of the pelvic floor should be assessed and, in accordance with this, the treatment should be planned.
• Many older women are not serious about constant gynecological supervision. A pelvic smear test (Pap smear) can rule out the presence of cervical tumors.
• As part of the test, provocative tests are performed to exclude urine leakage during exertion, including coughing and Valsalva maneuvers. If there is prolapse of the vagina, it is necessary to achieve prolapse of the vagina during a check with a finger or with a pessary (a device that inserted into the vagina to support the uterus, bladder and rectum) to exclude latent urinary incontinence due to stress.

Assessment of residual urine in the bladder

Evaluation of residual urine in the bladder after sufficient emptying provides information on the effectiveness of emptying and the risk hydronephrosis, renal and infectious lesions.

Although it is possible to check with a catheter, ultrasound is the preferred method.

It should be remembered that problems such as bloating or intestinal obstruction can make it difficult to conduct an ultrasound examination.

Imaging check

There is no specific imaging test for the examination of a patient with urinary incontinence. The choice of a specific diagnostic procedure depends on the clinical condition and treatment options.

Ultrasound examinations of the kidneys and urinary tract provide information about the volume of the bladder, the amount of residual urine after emptying the bladder, stones or tumors of the urinary systems.

Treatment of urinary incontinence in older women

Treatment can help more than 80% of people with a problem.

Exercise and behavioral therapy (one of the leading areas of modern psychotherapy) are most successful.

Also, urinary incontinence in women over 70 is often treated with drugs.

Medications

• Urotol, 2 mg tablets with the active ingredient Tolterodine;
• Enablex with the active substance Darifenacin * (Darifenacin *);
• Fesoterodine (Fesoterodine fumarate).

Homeopathic medicines for urinary incontinence:

• Causticum;
• Pareira;
• Sepia;
• Zincum.

Some of the most common homeopathic remedies used for stress incontinence are listed.

Attention! According to a recent study, drugs only work for about 20-30% of women who take them, and often have significant side effects. Therefore, before taking the pills, you need to discuss everything with the doctors.

Kegel exercises

To strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, squeeze and hold for 10 seconds. the muscles of the vagina, then relax them.

To find and feel the muscles, you need to imagine that you are trying to stop the flow of urine, so as not to describe yourself, while not particularly straining the buttocks or abdominal cavity.

Keep the muscles tense for 10 seconds, then relax for 10-15 seconds, and again. Do this exercise 2 times a day (day and evening) for 20 sets.

Treatment of urinary incontinence in women with folk remedies

Next, we will consider the most common recipes from the arsenal of traditional medicine:

Recipe # 1:

• mix in equal proportions St. John's wort, knotweed, valerian root and hop cones - 2 tbsp.
• then the collection is steamed in a glass with boiled water, insisted for half an hour and taken before meals.

Recipe # 2:

For involuntary and uncontrolled incontinence from the arsenal of folk remedies, you can apply the following:

• take in equal parts St. John's wort, mother-and-stepmother, centaury - 1 tbsp. l.
• then you need to brew the herbs in a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes. and taken twice a day.

Other recipes for the treatment of urinary incontinence in older women:

• Sage: 50 gr. sage is steamed in a thermos, the bay is 1 liter. boiling water, insisting 2 hours - take 3 times a day for half a glass.
• Bird cherry bark, harvested during its flowering period, crushed - 2 tbsp. l. steamed in 300 ml. boiling water, boil in a water bath for 10-15 minutes, insist and take throughout the day as tea.
• Blueberries with blackberries: in 0.5 liters of water add 2 tbsp. l. blueberries and blackberries, boil for 20 minutes. over low heat, insist for an hour and take as tea.
• Lingonberry recipe: mix 2 tbsp. l. leaves and berries of lingonberry and St. John's wort in an iron container, pour the broth with boiling water and put on slow heat for 8-10 minutes, then let the broth infuse for half an hour and take 3 times a day, halfway glasses.
• Yarrow: 1 tbsp. l. steamed yarrow leaves in boiling water, leave for half an hour and drink 100 ml each. three times a day before meals. You can also use St. John's wort - the recipe is the same, and to enhance the positive effect of medicinal plants, you can take equal parts for collection.
• Effective infusion and dill seeds: it helps to solve the problem of incontinence quickly and efficiently. Just brew 2 tbsp. l. in 300 ml. boiling water, let it brew and drink once a day, preferably in the morning.

In addition to treatment with folk remedies, all women should exclude strong tea, coffee and products containing caffeine from their diet.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can help, depending on what is causing the incontinence. In one American study, women received 4 weekly bladder acupuncture treatments, and their symptoms improved significantly.

Forecast

The prognosis is favorable - it is possible to cure incontinence, the main thing is to consult a doctor in a timely manner, undergo a complete and comprehensive examination and follow all the recommendations of doctors without practicing self-medication. Even with all the effectiveness of folk recipes.

If the condition is left untreated, patients may suffer from depression, recurrence of urinary tract infections and social isolation.