Living with urinary incontinence can be challenging and often affects one’s quality of life. Whether you’re personally experiencing these symptoms or seeking information for a loved one, you’re in the right place.
At Bladder & Bowel Community we are committed to providing you with the knowledge and support needed to manage and treat overflow incontinence effectively. For more information on catheter care and products delivered reliably to your door, you can request a callback from our Home Delivery Team here.
What Is Overflow Incontinence?
Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder doesn’t empty properly, and so it leaks out. You may not get the message to go to the toilet, either. The bladder never empties properly and fills up more quickly due to the residual volume. You may find it difficult to start to pass water, and even when you have started, the flow is weak and slow. You might find that you dribble after you have finished passing water. Perhaps you dribble urine all the time, even without noticing.
What Causes Bladder Overflow Incontinence?
Overflow incontinence occurs when the muscles of the bladder are not able to squeeze properly to empty the bladder.
Several factors can contribute to overflow incontinence, including:
Obstruction
Blockages such as an enlarged prostate, a kidney stone blocking the urethra, constipation, or stricture of the urethra in either men or women.
Medications
Certain medications can affect bladder function, such as anti-depressants, HRT or ACE inhibitors, although this will be highly specific depending on which medication you are taking.
Surgery
Post-surgical complications affecting the bladder or surrounding areas.
Muscle Weakness
Weak bladder muscles or nerves due to conditions like Diabetes, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Spina Bifida. As you cannot empty your bladder completely, your bladder and its muscles can gradually become floppy. With larger amounts of urine being held in the bladder all the time, urine will leak out when you don’t want it to, and you may have a constant feeling of fullness.
How Can You Manage Overflow Incontinence?
If you are concerned about your problem and it is starting to affect your day-to-day life, make an appointment to see your doctor, continence nurse or specialist physiotherapist. A continence nurse and specialist physiotherapist are healthcare professionals specialising in bladder and bowel problems.
It would be a good idea to record your bladder activity for a few days before your appointment with your doctor or nurse. Your doctor will want to investigate the cause of your overflow incontinence, and once this has been established, treatment can start. Healthcare professionals use a variety of methods for managing overflow incontinence, including:
Bladder training or timed voiding: You use the bathroom at set intervals throughout the day to prevent the bladder from getting too full, even if you don’t feel the need to go.
Double voiding: You try to urinate again after you finish peeing. Or you may bear down (as if passing a stool) when you urinate to empty your bladder fully.
Pelvic floor exercises: Kegels, or pelvic floor exercises, strengthen the muscles that support your bladder. Your healthcare provider may use biofeedback to help you learn the correct way to do these exercises.
Is There A Treatment For Overflow Incontinence?
Treatments for overflow incontinence depend on the reason you’re not emptying your bladder and include medications to shrink an enlarged prostate, surgery to remove a blockage, using a catheter or self-catheterisation.
Using a Catheter for bladder incontinence
It is important that a way is found to empty the bladder, and quite often, this will mean using a catheter, classed as a type of management option. A catheter is a thin, flexible plastic tube that is passed into the bladder through the urethra so that the urine will drain away.
Sometimes the catheter will be left in place so that the urine can be constantly drained into a collection bag which is worn on the leg. There are two kinds of indwelling catheter: urethral and suprapubic. A urethral catheter is inserted into the bladder through the urethra, and a suprapubic catheter is inserted into the bladder through a hole in the abdomen, a few inches below the tummy button.
Intermittent Self-Catheterisation
Another management option is called intermittent self-catheterisation. You can be taught to perform intermittent catheterisation on yourself at an interval specified by your healthcare professional. Most people find that catheterising intermittently is not as difficult or as uncomfortable as they had first imagined.
Normally, either form of catheterisation will only be needed until the cause of obstruction has been treated.
Your Questions Answered
Get answers to some of the commonly asked questions around urinary catheter care and our expert guidance.
Further Information
At Bladder and Bowel Community, we are dedicated to providing valuable information, advice, and treatment information around bladder and bowel conditions and continence care. You can find out more about treatment options for overflow incontinence in our article here.
We encourage you to explore our pages, connect with our community, and seek professional guidance when needed. For any questions or support, you can also get in touch with our team by contacting us here.