On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Deborah Lightner, an emeritus Mayo Clinic urologist, will discuss options for preventing and treating urinary incontinence. Also on the program, Dr. Paul Croarkin, a pediatric psychiatrist, will discuss teens and mental health. And Dr. Maria Vassilaki, an epidemiologist at Mayo Clinic, will share the latest research on how the Mediterranean diet affects brain health.

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Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

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Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Treatment options for female urinary incontinence appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Deborah Lightner, an emeritus Mayo Clinic urologist, will discuss options for preventing and treating urinary incontinence. Also on the program, Dr. Paul Croarkin, a pediatric psychiatrist, will discuss teens and mental health. And Dr. Maria Vassilaki, an epidemiologist at Mayo Clinic, will share the latest research on how the Mediterranean diet affects brain health.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show?  Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Female urinary incontinence / teens and mental health / Mediterranean diet and brain health appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ANSWER: Urinary incontinence becomes more common with age, especially in women. But that doesn’t mean you have to just put up with it. Instead, see your health care provider for an evaluation. In many cases, behavioral treatment, in which you learn techniques that help reduce incontinence, can control this condition.

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control that results in accidental loss of urine. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from it. Research conducted by the National Institutes of Health shows that between 25 and 45 percent of women have some degree of urinary incontinence. The frequency of this condition in women is due to various factors, including pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and the anatomy of the female urinary tract.

It sounds like you are actually experiencing two kinds of urinary incontinence. The first is called stress incontinence. It’s triggered by stress placed on the bladder and pelvic floor. That can happen, as in your case, when you cough or sneeze. Running, jumping or other physical activity also can cause stress incontinence. Typically, stress incontinence results in slight to moderate urine leaks.

The second type is called urge incontinence. It’s a sudden, intense urge to urinate, followed by an involuntary loss of urine. It’s caused by bladder muscle contractions. Urge incontinence usually results in more significant urine loss than stress incontinence. Whereas stress incontinence often can be anticipated based on a person’s activity, urge incontinence is more random and difficult to predict. That can make it much more disruptive to your day-to-day activities.

There are ways to regain control of your bladder. One of the most effective is learning pelvic floor muscle exercises to strengthen the muscles that regulate urination. The exercises differ somewhat for stress incontinence and urge incontinence. Your health care provider can instruct you on how to do the exercises and how often to do them, based on your individual symptoms.

Other behavioral techniques that may be useful, depending on your specific circumstances, include bladder training (in which you delay urination after you get the urge to go), scheduled toilet trips, and fluid and diet management.

When you see your health care provider, he or she may ask you to keep a record of your fluid intake and urination for several days. This information can help your health care provider diagnose incontinence and pinpoint its cause.

Studies have found that 60 to 75 percent of women who have urinary incontinence can control the condition using behavioral treatment. When that’s not enough, however, there are medications and other treatment options, including surgery, that can be used to treat urinary incontinence.

Make an appointment to see your health care provider, and talk about your symptoms. In many cases, urinary incontinence can be managed such that it doesn’t interfere with daily life. — Dr. Deborah Lightner, Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: Behavioral treatment can help control incontinence appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Deborah Lightner, a Mayo Clinic urologist, will discuss options for preventing and treating urinary incontinence. Also on the program, Dr. James Naessens, a researcher at the Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, will share findings on the importance of getting a second opinion. And Dr. Juan Brito Campana, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, will explain why thyroid medications may be overprescribed in older adults.

Here's the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post Female urinary incontinence: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control, resulting in the accidental loss of urine. Due to pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and the structure of the female urinary tract, women are twice as likely as men to suffer from urinary incontinence. While urinary incontinence might be only slightly bothersome for some, it can be totally debilitating for others. For some women, the chance of embarrassment keeps them from enjoying many physical activities, including exercising. But, the good news is that effective treatments are available for treating urinary incontinence if women are willing to discuss it with their health care provider.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Deborah Lightner, a Mayo Clinic urologist, will discuss options for preventing and treating urinary incontinence. Also on the program, Dr. James Naessens, a researcher at the Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, will share findings on the importance of getting a second opinion. And Dr. Juan Brito Campana, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, will explain why thyroid medications may be overprescribed in older adults.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Female urinary incontinence appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Deborah Lightner, a Mayo Clinic urologist, will discuss options for preventing and treating urinary incontinence. Also on the program, Dr. James Naessens, a researcher at the Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, will share findings on the importance of getting a second opinion. And Dr. Juan Brito Campana, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, will explain why thyroid medications may be overprescribed in older adults.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show?  Here's the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Female urinary incontinence / value of a second opinion / thyroid medication in older adults appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.