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If so, one cause of your problem may be sitting in your medicine cabinet. Medicines
(drugs) can cause people to lose bladder control.
Do not stop taking any medicine without talking to your doctor.
If your medicine is causing your bladder problem, your doctor may find another medicine.
If you need to keep taking the same medicine, your doctor can help you find another
way to gain bladder control.
Your bladder is a muscle shaped like a balloon. While the bladder stores urine, the
muscle relaxes. When you go to the bathroom, the bladder muscle tightens to squeeze
urine out of the bladder.
Two sphincter (SFINK-tur) muscles surround a tube called the urethra (yoo-REE-thrah).
Urine leaves your body through this tube. The sphincters keep the urethra closed
by squeezing like rubber bands. Pelvic floor muscles under the bladder also help
keep the urethra closed.
When the bladder is full, nerves in your bladder signal the brain. That's when you
get the urge to go to the bathroom.
Once you reach the toilet, your brain tells the sphincter and pelvic floor muscles
to relax. This allows urine to pass through the urethra. The brain signal also tells
the bladder to tighten up. This squeezes urine out of the bladder.
Bladder control means you urinate only when you want to. For good bladder control,
all parts of your system must work together:
Pelvic muscles must hold up the bladder and urethra.
Sphincter muscles must open and shut the urethra.
Nerves must control the muscles of the bladder and pelvic floor.
Leaking can happen when medicines affect any of these muscles or nerves. For instance,
medicines to treat high blood pressure may make the sphincter muscles too tight or
too loose. Medicines to treat colds can have the same effect.
You may take medicine to calm your nerves so that you can sleep or relax. This medicine
may dull the nerves in the bladder and keep them from signaling the brain when the
bladder is full. Without the message and urge, the bladder overflows. Drinking alcohol
can also cause these nerves to fail.
Water pills (diuretics) take fluid from swollen areas of your body and send it to
the bladder. This may cause the bladder to leak because it fills more quickly than
usual. Caffeine drinks such as coffee and cola have the same effect. Some foods such
as chocolate also can cause bladder problems.
Before your next doctor visit, make a list of all the prescription medicines you
take. Also list medicines you buy without a prescription. Or you can bring all your
medicines with you to show the doctor. Ask your doctor if any of the medicines could
cause your bladder problem. Your pharmacist can also give you information about your
medicines.
You may have to continue taking a medicine that causes a bladder control problem.
Ask your doctor to help you find another way to control your bladder.
Other ways might include:
exercises for the muscles that close the bladder
devices to stimulate the muscles
training the bladder to hold more urine.
Never stop taking a prescribed medicine without first talking to your doctor.
Certain medicines, foods, and drinks can cause bladder control problems.
Make a list of your medicines--both prescription and nonprescription--to show your
doctor. Take the list to talk about bladder control.
You may have to keep taking important medicines, even if they cause some bladder
control problems.
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892 3580
E-mail: nkudic@aerie.com
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse is a service
of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, of the National
Institutes of Health, under the U.S. Public Health Service. Established in 1987,
the clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic
system to people with these disorders and to their families, health care professionals,
and the public. The clearinghouse answers inquiries; develops, reviews, and distributes
publications; and works closely with professional and patient organizations and government
agencies to coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases.
Publications produced by the clearinghouse are reviewed carefully for scientific
accuracy, content, and readability.
This publication is not copyrighted. The clearinghouse encourages users of this fact
sheet to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.
Let's Talk about Bladder Control for Women is a public health awareness campaign
conducted by the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
(NKUDIC), an information dissemination service of the National Institute of Diabetes
and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health.
1-800-891-5388
NIH Publication No. 97-4185
January 1997
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