10 June 2016
Menopause and the effect on your bladder
Menopause has many impacts on the women’s body including bringing hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and sleep problems but did you know that the menopause can also affect your bladder? A recent survey by TENA Lady shows nearly half of all women in the UK experience bladder weakness and this can increase with the start of the menopause. Below are five ways the menopause can affect your bladder but there are things you can do to reduce the effect. 1. Bladder weakness
Bladder weakness is not an inevitable part of any women’s future but there is no doubt that as women get towards menopause age the muscles and ligaments that support the pelvic floor become weaker. These tissues are sensitive to oestrogen so as oestrogen levels fall they lose their strength and elasticity. This means that even small increases in pressure such as coughing, sneezing, laughing or even running can cause leakage.
When exercising your pelvic floor you are trying to mimic the sensation that you would have if you were trying to stop weeing mid-stream. If your muscles are very weak you may not be able to feel much but there are techniques that can be used to help and your GP can refer you to a physiotherapist or continence advisor to help. Alternatively do take a look at our tips online on how to perform pelvic floor exercises.
Wearing protection such as TENA Lady Pads and TENA Pants will give you confidence if you feel concerned about bladder weakness.
2. Overactive bladder
When you have an overactive bladder, you will get very little warning of the need to empty your bladder and sometimes if you can't get to a toilet quickly enough, you may experience a leak. It is a very common condition experienced by women of all ages but is increasingly common in menopausal women.
TENA Lady Pads & Pants can offer security and protection from leaks, to give you the confidence to enjoy whatever it is that you're doing without a second thought to your bladder. Pelvic floor exercises will help and there are several lifestyle factors that can influence the condition too. Losing a few pounds will also help.
Nicotine, caffeine, alcohol and fizzy drinks also irritate the bladder lining. You may try to cut right back on their fluid intake. It might seem logical but actually concentrated urine is more irritating to the bladder lining and not drinking enough can make things worse, so always aim to keep your urine the colour of straw.
3. Prolapse
Unfortunately it's not just the muscles of the pelvic floor that lose their strength and elasticity during the menopause. Around 50% of all menopausal women experience weakening of the front wall of the vagina, a quarter have weakening of the back wall of the vagina and a fifth will have weakness at the top of the vagina. This can lead to prolapse, which can cause pressure effects on the bladder meaning you may feel the need to urinate more frequently or may feel that your bladder isn't emptying properly.
Pelvic floor exercises will prevent the condition getting any worse but once a prolapse has developed they won't be able to repair it. Your GP may be able to fit a pessary for you to hold everything back in place or there operations which can be done to hitch everything back up.
4. Recurrent urinary tract infections
The natural acidity of the vagina changes during the menopause resulting in a change in the balance of the normal micro-organisms found in the vagina. This can mean that bad bacteria flourish and can easily make their way into the bladder causing infection. A bacterial infection will need treating with antibiotics but you can help prevent re-occurring problems by using a lactic acid vaginal pessary, which is available over the counter or on prescription from your GP.
5. Vaginal dryness
Around 50% of menopausal women will experience dryness around the vagina as oestrogen levels fall, which can cause itching and soreness. It can also lead to pain during intercourse and a burning sensation when passing urine. Over the counter lubricants may help and these can either be used daily or there are slow release versions available. Your pharmacist will be able to advise you. You can also use oestrogen in the form of creams or pessaries, which are available on prescription to plump up the tissues around the vagina and ease the symptoms
For more information on the impacts of the menopause you can visit the Net Doctor website or if you need any incontinence products then do take a look at our Incontinence UK website. We offer a range of discreet incontinence insert pads that can be inserted into your own underwear to offer protection against bladder weakness.
Best wishes
Incontinence UK Team
www.incontinenceuk.co.uk
