Urinary incontinence: Causes and effective treatment
Suddenly feeling that you need to go. is something a surprising number of women can relate to. The intense feeling, which can make it difficult to hold it and sometimes lead to accidental urine leakage, is called urinary urgency or urge incontinence. You may have wondered if you should consider moving into the toilet permanently in the middle of the night? Fortunately, you're not alone❤️ Many women experience this intrusive feeling, which can sometimes make you feel like you've become a prisoner in your own body. But don't despair, there are solutions! Our studies show that VagiVital AktivGel can not only help reduce these cravings, but we also have a lot of great feedback from women who have finally been able to sleep through the night without their bladder sabotaging their sleep. Why do these sudden urges occur and what can you do to treat them?
FIVE COMMON CAUSES OF URINARY INCONTINENCE
The urge to urinate can have many causes, and sometimes it's a combination of several factors working together. Below we take a closer look at five of the most common causes of this problem:
1. Overactive bladder (OAB)
Have you ever felt like you just have to pee, even though you've just been to the toilet? Then you may have experienced what is called overactive bladder. Overactive bladder means that the muscles in the bladder contract involuntarily, even when the bladder is not full. This causes a strong and sudden sensation of urination, often with little or no warning.
There can be many causes of overactive bladder, ranging from ageing to neurological problems that affect the way the nerves communicate with the bladder. But stress and anxiety can also play a role, causing the bladder to react more sensitively than normal. For many women, these symptoms occur without any clear cause, which can make it even more frustrating.
2. Urinary tract infections (UTI)
If you've had a urinary tract infection, you know how uncomfortable it can be. In addition to pain and burning when you urinate, a urinary tract infection can also cause frequent and intense urges. This is because the infection irritates the lining of the bladder and urethra, leading to inflammation. This irritation causes the body to react by signaling that it's time to empty the bladder, even if there's not much urine to get rid of.
It can take a while for these symptoms to disappear completely, even after the infection has been treated with antibiotics, which can leave you feeling like you need to go to the toilet all the time.
3. Hormonal changes
Many women who are approaching or have gone through menopause often notice changes in their urinary habits. Reduced estrogen levels not only affect mood and energy levels, but also the mucous membranes in the genital area. The mucous membranes can become thinner and drier, making them more prone to irritation.
When the mucous membranes of the urethra and bladder become drier and more sensitive, it can lead to increased frequency of urination. It's a natural part of the ageing process, but it can be an uncomfortable change that affects everyday life.
4. Neurological disorders
In some women, the urge to urinate may be linked to underlying neurological conditions. If the neural pathways that control the bladder are damaged or function abnormally, this can lead to bladder control problems. Conditions such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or a previous stroke can affect how the brain communicates with the bladder.
When nerves don't work properly, the bladder can send false signals to the brain that it's full, even though it's not. This leads to frequent urges to urinate and sometimes difficulty holding it in, which can be both frustrating and impair your quality of life.
5. Lifestyle-related factors
Your diet and drinking habits can also play a big part in how often and how badly you feel the need to pee. Caffeine, which is found in coffee, tea and some soft drinks, has a diuretic effect, which means that it increases urine production and can lead to more frequent visits to the toilet.
Similarly, alcohol acts and can irritate the bladder, which can exacerbate the symptoms of urinary urgency. Strongly flavored foods and carbonated drinks can also be problematic, especially if you're already sensitive to these types of stimuli. Being aware of what you eat and drink can help you identify which foods and beverages are triggering your symptoms and give you more control over the situation.
RESEARCH ON THE TREATMENT OF URGE TO URINATE
It's important to understand that different strategies can work for different people, depending on the cause of their symptoms.
🌸 Behavioral therapy and lifestyle changes: Research has shown that behavioral therapies, such as bladder training and changes in fluid intake, can be effective in reducing the frequency of cravings. Bladder training teaches you to hold it longer and gradually increases the time between toilet visits.
🌸 Medication: If lifestyle changes and behavioral therapy don't provide sufficient relief, medications that reduce bladder muscle activity may be prescribed. These medications can help control the involuntary contractions of the bladder muscles.
🌸 Topical hormone-free treatments: For women who experience the urge to urinate due to dry and sensitive genital mucosa, research has shown that topical hormone-free gels such as VagiVital AktivGel can be an effective alternative 🙌
🌸 Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy, including pelvic floor exercises, can help strengthen the muscles that support the bladder and urethra, which can reduce how often you need to pee and improve bladder control.
🌸 Surgery: In more severe cases, where other treatments have not been effective, surgical procedures may be considered. These procedures often aim to improve the support of the bladder and urethra to reduce the symptoms of urgency.
VAGIVITAL ACTIVE GEL AND URGE TO URINATE: A NATURAL SOLUTION
VagiVital AktivGel has been proven to be an effective and natural alternative for women who suffer from the urge to urinate, especially in connection with hormonal changes. By moisturizing and strengthening the mucous membranes in the genital area, AktivGel helps to reduce irritation and relieve the symptoms of urinary urgency.
A study published in the International Urogynecology Journal (2020) showed that VagiVital AktivGel, a hormone-free gel that moisturizes and strengthens the mucous membranes, provides significant improvements. Women who used AktivGel daily for 90 days experienced a noticeable reduction in urinary urgency. The gel's moisturizing and protective properties helped to strengthen the mucous membranes and restore balance in the lower abdomen, which in turn reduced the sudden urge 🙌
We recommend that you use AktivGel every day for 90 days (equivalent to three tubes), based on extensive research and clinical studies at Swedish university hospitals, which show that daily use of 1 ml of AktivGel for 90 days gives the best results for first-time users ❤️
Check out Vagivital AktivGel for dry mucus membranes here
Urinary incontinence is a common problem for many women, especially as they get older. In fact, as many as 10-20% of all women may have symptoms of urge incontinence, and it becomes even more common after the menopause. In women over the age of 60, as many as a third or more can be affected by this condition. If you recognize these symptoms, you're not alone - but there is help available ❤️
Take care of yourself & Stay Pussytive ❤️
/Fanny Falkman Grinndal
Business Manager Nordics
Peptonic Medical AB
fanny.falkman-grinndal@peptonicmedical.se