How Ageing Affects Pelvic Floor and Causes Stress Urinary Incontinence? - Dr Pankaj Joshi

As people age, their pelvic floor muscles naturally weaken, leading to potential issues like pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and fecal incontinence due to decreased support for the organs within the pelvis. In addition to this, the collagen fibres within the pelvic floor becomes less elastic and more rigid over time.

As a result of these changes, older adults are at a higher risk of developing pelvic floor disorders like urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence.

What is Stress Urinary Incontinence?

Incontinence, also known as bladder leakage, can stop you from living the active life you once lived and make you feel alone and isolated. Leaking urine leads to feelings of embarrassment and depression.

Urinary incontinence has a considerable impact on the quality of life for men. It is estimated to affect 4.8% of males ages 19-44 and up to 32.3% of men over the age of 65. Of these patients, an average of 2.67% are impacted by stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Causes of Stress Urinary Incontinence

• Urgency incontinence

• Injury or damage to nerves or muscles from surgery for cancer of prostate or benign prostate.
• An enlarged prostate gland, which can lead to benign prostate hyperplasia, a condition in which the prostate grows as men age.

If the bladder leakage persists, some men cope by using absorbent pads and protective undergarments. Others use special devices, such as catheters or penile clamps, to try to prevent urine leakage. If bladder leakage becomes a burden and affects your happiness, you can talk to a urologist specializing in male stress incontinence about options to restore bladder control.

Treatments for Stress Urinary Incontinence

With a thorough evaluation of your bladder leakage symptoms, your doctor may recommend changes to your daily routine, such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol. You may modify your fluid intake and follow a voiding schedule to try to train your bladder. Your doctor may also recommend pelvic floor exercises to tighten the sphincter muscles.

However, if the condition still persists, treatments such as urethral slings are recommended by the doctor. It is a combination of dynamic compression of the urethra (urinary drainage pipe which passes through the penis) as well as repositioning of the section of urethra located just below the bladder.

Male slings are a minimally invasive surgery using a "passive" mechanism to treat SUI. The success rates in improving or curing stress urinary incontinence in appropriately selected patients range from 55% to 90% with low complication rates.

The sling acts as a "hammock," repositioning and supporting the urethra to help restore normal bladder control. At your urologist’s discretion, you can resume normal daily activities within 1 to 2 weeks after your procedure.

For those with severe incontinence, artificial urinary sphincter is a recommended treatment option. Don't let SUI steal your joy. Understanding the connection between ageing, the pelvic floor, and SUI empowers you to take proactive steps towards a healthier.

Talk to your doctor can help you determine the best course of action and guide you towards regaining control and living life to the fullest.