Too Young for Bladder Problems?

Women of any age can suffer from urinary incontinence

You don’t have to be a grandmother to experience leaking. “Young women can develop urinary incontinence, too,” says urogynecologist Yong Zheng, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.

More than 13 million Americans—most of them women—suffer from the condition. “Although it’s common, urinary incontinence is not normal,” Zheng says. “No matter how embarrassing, it’s important to talk to your doctor so it can be treated.”

Young women typically develop stress incontinence (leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or anything else that increases pressure in the abdomen). Less common are urge incontinence (sudden, strong urges to urinate); mixed incontinence (a combination of stress and urge); and overflow incontinence (inability of the bladder to empty properly).

“Incontinence in younger women may be associated with athletics like gymnastics or running, particularly after the birth of a child,” says Zheng’s colleague, gynecologist Michael Sheinberg, M.D. “Up to half of all women develop stress incontinence after their first delivery, though many will not have persistent symptoms.” Labor causes pelvic muscles to stretch, especially if it lasts a long time or the baby is large. “Even if you have a C-section you still can develop incontinence, as pregnancy itself takes a toll on pelvic muscles,” Zheng says. Urinary incontinence caused by weak pelvic muscles also runs in families.

The pelvic muscles form a sling that supports your uterus, bladder and other organs. To help prevent incontinence (and recover faster after childbirth), strengthen these muscles with regular exercise. The easiest way, says Lauren Garges, a pelvic floor physical therapist at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, is through Kegel exercises, an internal squeezing technique.

“If you’re experiencing stress incontinence when you cough or sneeze, try contracting your pelvic muscles beforehand,” Garges says. “If it doesn’t improve, talk to your doctor.” Treatment options include working with a physical therapist educated to assess pelvic muscle tone and strength; gentle electrical stimulation; and (usually as a last resort) surgery to restore support of the pelvic organs.

Want to Know More about how to prevent incontinence and how to perform Kegel exercises? Click on the links in the column on the right side of this page.

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