Explore the various uses of bladder control liners with your Lake Forest, IL urogynecologist

As a result of time, medications, general health, and a number of other factors, a woman may find herself face to face with some type of incontinence as she ages. At one time, urinary incontinence was a condition more or less accepted as a result of the aging process. Women believed that their ability to birth children involved the risk that, sooner or later, incontinence was a given. This idea has been challenged over time and proven to be incredibly inaccurate. Not every woman will suffer incontinence, and those who do have options through which they can retain or regain a satisfactory quality of life.

various uses of bladder control liners with your Lake Forest

One of the paths a woman may explore when dealing with urinary incontinence is the bladder control liner. There are several uses of bladder control liners, which are discussed as a treatment option in the Lake Forest, Park City, and Woodstock, IL offices of Dr. Sanjay Gandhi.

Overactive bladder

The common name for an overactive bladder is “urge incontinence.” When a woman has this condition, she will experience moments in which the urge to urinate strikes suddenly and very intensely. Her ability to control this urge is very low, and she involuntarily leaks urine. The degree of leakage can range from very mild to severe.

Stress incontinence related to exercise

There are several ways in which stress urinary incontinence may present itself. Exercise can be particularly difficult for the woman with weak pelvic floor muscles, even the seasoned athlete. The result of the physical exertion required during a sporting activity is, in many cases, so embarrassing that a woman decreases her physical output or avoids favorite activities altogether. The reason that physical exertion is so challenging is that tension occurs in the intra-abdominal muscles. At the same time, an athlete may hold her breath while exerting intense effort to achieve her task, whether that is hitting a ball or lifting weight. The pressure of these combined movements puts pressure on the internal organs. Since the muscles used for bladder control aren’t receiving the same amount of vascular activity, they are only partially effective. Compound this natural process with already-weakened muscles and you have a real problem on your hands.

Post-pregnancy incontinence

Pregnancy and childbirth are two of the primary contributors to urinary incontinence. As the healthy baby is developing in the mother’s womb, her lower body is continually placed under excessive stress. The increasing pressure on the lower abdomen and pelvic floor may negatively impact the functionality of the bladder as well as the sphincter muscle. The additional weight of the fetus also creates a downward pull on internal organs, causing a great many tissues to stretch. The sad fact is that “bouncing back” is not always as simple as it seems. When extensive stretching has occurred, a woman may develop stress incontinence that causes her to involuntarily leak when she runs, laughs, sneezes, or coughs.

Physicians like Dr. Sanjay Gandhi have solutions for women mildly affected by urinary incontinence as well as for those whose quality of life has diminished greatly as a result of urine leakage. In many cases, bladder control liners and pads are a welcomed step in improving confidence.

Learn about your treatment options for urinary incontinence. Call one of our offices today.

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Sanjay Gandhi, M.D.

Sanjay Gandhi, M.D.
Partners in Pelvic Health North Shore Urogynecology

Conditions affecting the female pelvis are the focus at Partners in Pelvic Health North Shore Urogynecology. We provide effective solutions for these problems from our offices at Park City, Woodstock, and Lake Forest in Illinois.

Our team is headed by Sanjay Gandhi, MD, Urogynecologist. Dr. Gandhi’s specialized education included a residency in gynecology and obstetrics at Northwestern University and a three-year urogynecology fellowship. He is among a few in the country to pass the first examination in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (URPS) of The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He also teaches healthcare students.