Suffering from urinary incontinence is a common problem for women, but it is not something you should leave untreated. If you have problems with this and are noticing that the symptoms are worsening, you may want to visit a urologist, which is a doctor that specializes in the bladder and related organs. Urinary incontinence can occur for a number of reasons, but there are also ways it can be treated. One thing that can cause this problem is an overactive bladder, and here are a few things to understand about this.

What is urinary incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is a medical term that refers to the inability to have control over your bladder. For some people, this problem can be very minor. For others, it can be a major problem. Here are some of the symptoms that can occur with urinary incontinence:

• Urine may leak out when you sneeze, cough, or laugh
• You may have to run to the bathroom often to urinate, yet there may be very little urine
• Your bladder may empty whenever it feels like it.

What is an overactive bladder?

The bladder is the organ in the body that holds urine. Once it is full, it will alert you that you have to urinate. This occurs from the bladder muscles contracting. After urinating, the pressure will be gone and you will feel fine. If you have an overactive bladder, it will cause you to feel an intense sensation that you have to urinate even when the bladder is not even close to being full. This happens because the bladder muscles do not wait for the bladder to become full when the contractions start. Instead, they start contracting prematurely.

This condition can be a result of many things, but it is commonly caused by chronic urinary tract infections, weakening of the pelvic muscles, and medications. It can also be caused by consuming too many beverages that contain caffeine. There are also times when overactive bladder is the result of a major health problem, such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis.

How is this treated?

When you visit a urologist, he or she will try to diagnose the reason for your urinary incontinence. If it is the result of an overactive bladder, the doctor might suggest cutting out caffeine from your diet. If this makes a difference, no further treatment will be needed. If this does not work, the doctor may suggest trying medication or inserting a device that is designed to give the bladder more support.

To learn more and to find out how you can treat this problem, contact a urologist such as those found at Advanced Urology Associates.