Menopause Resource Center

Menopause and Bladder Control
article syndicated from NKUDIC

• Does menopause affect bladder control?

• What else causes bladder control problems in older women?

• What should you do about bladder control aftrer menopause?

• What treatments can help you regain bladder control?

• What professionals can help you with bladder control?

• Points to Remember

Does menopause affect bladder control?

Yes. Some women have bladder control problems after they stop having periods (menopause or change of life). If you are going through menopause, talk to your health care team.

After your periods end, your body stops making the female hormone estrogen (ES-truh-jun). Estrogen controls how your body matures, your monthly periods, and body changes during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Some scientists believe estrogen may help keep the lining of the bladder and urethra (yoo-REE-thrah) plump and healthy. They think that lack of estrogen could contribute to weakness of the bladder control muscles.

	Good bladder control allows women to lead a fully active life.

Pressure from coughing, sneezing, or lifting can push urine through the weakened muscle. This kind of leakage is called stress incontinence. It is one of the most common kinds of bladder control problems in older women.

Recent studies have raised doubts about the benefits of taking estrogen after menopause. The studies also point to added risks from taking estrogen for many years. No studies have shown that taking estrogen improves bladder control in women who have gone through menopause. Your doctor can suggest many other possible treatments to improve bladder control.

What else causes bladder control problems in older women?

Sometimes bladder control problems are caused by other medical conditions. These problems include:

A very common kind of bladder control problem for older women is urge incontinence. This means the bladder muscles squeeze at the wrong time--or all the time--and cause leaks.

If you have this problem, your health care team can help you retrain yourself to go to the toilet on a schedule.

What should you do about bladder control after menopause?

Talk to your health care team. You may have stress or urge incontinence, but other things could also be happening.

Medicines and exercises can restore bladder control in many cases. Your doctor will give you a checkup first.

What treatments can help you regain bladder control?

	Teaching your bladder a new routine can reduce urge incontinence.

It depends on what kind of bladder control problem you have. Your health care team may also recommend some of the following:

If these simple treatments do not work, your health care team may have you try something different. These treatments might include:

What professionals can help you with bladder control?

Professionals who can help you with bladder control include:

Points to Remember:

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article syndicated from National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse:
http://www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/menopause_ez/index.htm
NIH Publication No. 04-4186 - April 2004

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