Urinary incontinence in women: more common than you think

Urinary incontinence in women is more common than you think.

Also known as bladder leakage or overactive bladder (OAB), the condition can affect anyone irrespective of their age of gender. The condition ranges in severity from mild loss of control to uncontrollable wetting. Bladder leakage is usually caused by some form of urinary tract infection, however it can happen at any moment whether due to not making it to a bathroom on time, when laughing, sneezing, or exercising, or as an accidental reflex. While stress incontinence, or movements causing the bladder to release, is the most common form of bladder leakage, it does affect more women than men. And although urinary incontinence can be helped and in some cases cured, the condition can still prove embarrassing and stressful for many women who suffer from it. A recent study commissioned by Icon and conducted by OnePoll showed that as many as 61 percent of women feel that they have suffered from bladder leaks in their lives. As well as this, over half of women found the situation to be an embarrassment. The survey included 2,000 women from all ages with nearly half of these (49 percent) saying that their leaks negatively affected their lives. Kejal Macdonald, VP of Marketing for Icon, stated:

“It’s no secret that bladder leaks happen often, but women are still so afraid of admitting to or discussing them at all. This survey demonstrates just how common leaks with adult women are and how that impacts their lives. "Given all of this now evident information, it’s clear we have a long way to go to reduce the stigma surrounding bladder leaking.”

Now, Icon is a pee-proof underwear company, so it makes sense that the number of women expressing difficulties with urinary incontinence here seems quite high. However, according to the HSE, bladder leakage is still an extremely common condition. They say that one in four women experience incontinence on a regular basis, with one in 10 men suffering the same. In order to manage incontinence, the health service suggests exercise programmes to strengthen the pelvic floor, bladder training, or sometimes medication. It's also recommended that sufferers try to stay as active as possible and continue to drink up to eight glasses of water every day. Icon's survey, however, unfortunately states that many women suffering from bladder leakage tend to try to stay away from drinking water, fearing that it will cause leakage. According to them, 39 percent of women avoid drinking water entirely, with half using the bathroom multiple times before leaving their homes. 67 percent of women say they put on pantyliners regularly just in case they leak. Despite incontinence being such a common condition, very few women who suffer from it actually talk about it. 32 percent of women say they have never discussed their condition with anybody, with almost half admitting that their leaks have left them with negative self-esteem. “At a time when women's health is such an important mainstream topic, we have to get rid of the shame around bladder leaks," Macdonald said.