What do the following have in common?
A) Speaking in public naked
B) Finding a rattlesnake in your underwear drawer
C) Being held upside down over a cauldron of lava.
Answer: Most women would probably say that these experiences are less scary than telling their partner that they are experiencing bladder leakage during sex.
But urine leakage can, and does, cross the bedroom door. Medical studies estimate that urine leakage affects More than half of women at some point in their lives. And one study estimated that 6 of 10 Women who experience bladder leakage experience it during sexual intercourse.
If you don’t want to talk about urine leakage during sex, you’re not alone. Most people don’t. But it’s very important to talk about it, at least with your health care provider (HCP), said Lauri Romanzi, MD, a urogynecologist and member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health Advisory Board. Romanzi wants women to know that it’s nothing to be ashamed of and, perhaps most importantly, that it can be managed and treated.
Causes of urine leakage during sexual intercourse
Bladder leakage is a problem that can Develop little by little over timeRomanzi said, and can occur during penetration or orgasm. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which is when stress on the bladder causes leakage, is the most common. Common type of bladder leakage during sex“When the urethra is weak,” Romanzi said, “this can lead to urine leaking during penetration. Outside of sex, this can also lead to leakage with intense physical activity, coughing, sneezing and laughing.”
When urine leakage is caused by an overactive bladder (OAB), it usually occurs during orgasm rather than penetration. (If you’ve ever wondered if Female ejaculation during orgasm (It’s urine, it’s not. Female ejaculate is its own fluid, although stress urinary incontinence can also cause urine leakage during orgasm.)
Treatment for urine loss during sexual intercourse
The first thing women can do to help control bladder leakage is strengthen and retrain the pelvic floor muscles. One way to do this is through physical exercises, such as Kegel techniqueYou don’t have to do these exercises on your own and Many people do it incorrectlyso seeking help from a professional may be a good idea. Romanzi said physical therapists Pelvic floor therapy specialist. (called pelvic floor therapists) can help treat urinary incontinence. As well as recommending and helping you do pelvic floor exercises, a physical therapist may use biofeedback and electrical stimulation Techniques.
General Dietary changes — Eliminating caffeinated or carbonated drinks and fruit juices, as well as alcohol, chocolate, acidic and spicy foods — can help, but every bladder is different. If you are leaking, it’s a good idea to keep track of what types of foods and drinks irritate your bladder and avoid them, especially before bedtime.
A technique called double urination It can also help. This means emptying your bladder and then emptying it again a few minutes later. You can try urinating twice before sex to reduce the chances of your bladder leaking during intimacy. Sex positions can also make a difference if the leaks are due to pressure on your bladder. Avoid the standard missionary position and try placing a pillow under your lower back to tilt your organs out of the way.
Medications can also help. If urine leakage is a result of menopause, Romanzi says topical estrogen, or estrogen applied inside the vagina, can be helpful. It’s available in vaginal creams, tablets and gels. rings.
For leaks caused by VAH, there are currently several FDA-approved drugsBut some of them can cause side effects such as dry mouth, which can lead to drinking too much and make leaks worse.
If other options don’t work, some women may be candidates for more invasive procedures such as Botox injections into the bladder or a weekly treatment called percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS)PTNS involves the administration of electrical stimulation through a needle inserted into a nerve in the ankle, which travels down a nerve in the leg to the nerve that controls the bladder.
In some cases, surgical treatmentsTechniques such as sacral nerve stimulation, among others, can be used.
“[Sacral nerve stimulation involves] “It is a pacemaker-type device that can be implanted in women with severe overactive bladder or urge incontinence that does not respond to other treatments,” Romanzi explained. “These devices send electrical pulses from a device that is inserted in the lower back.”
For women whose leakage is caused by pressure on a weakened urethra, a urethral catheter is performed. sling It can be inserted surgically. Or, increased urethral volumeA similar surgical procedure that injects silicone into the urethra to strengthen it may also be an option.
In addition to treatments, you can also control urine leakage with pads outside the bedroom. Pads for urine leakage can help absorb fluids and control odor, which can make you feel less self-conscious when it comes time to get intimate.
The importance of talking about bladder leaks
It can be uncomfortable to talk about bladder leakage, but to get treatment, you need to talk to your doctor first. You may not even have to say the words. Romanzi said many electronic record intake systems now include patient questionnaires that include questions about bladder control. Or, Romanzi suggested, if you can’t bring yourself to mention it, you can simply print out materials that reflect your symptoms and give them to your doctor.
The best type of provider to go to for bladder leakage during sex is a urogynecologistYour primary care physician or gynecologist may be able to recommend one. Urogynecologists see urinary incontinence issues in their office every day and are experienced in discussing topics that patients may not like to bring up. It’s important to find a health care professional who not only specializes in bladder issues in women, but also makes you feel comfortable.
It is worth daring to speak out and defend your rights, Romanzi said. It is known that urine loss during sexual intercourse causes Less frequent sexual activity and avoid sexual relations, but with treatment, you can get your sex life back.
Remember: Bladder leakage may have entered your bedroom uninvited, but you can invite it out.
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