Urinary Tract System

Interstitial Cystitis

A chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder, the cause of interstitial cystitis is unknown and occurs more commonly in females. It is characterized by urinary frequency (as often as every 10 minutes), urgency, pressure and/or pain in the bladder and/or pelvis. Pain typically increases as the bladder fills and reduces after voiding. However some patients report pain with urination, often in the urethra.

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence (UI) is the accidental leaking of urine and is caused by muscles not functioning properly. Stress incontinence is a type of UI caused by sneezing, coughing, laughing, or other movements that put stress on the bladder and is the result of a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, those which hold the urethra closed. Overactive bladder is also a type of UI and is caused by the involuntary contraction of bladder muscles. The female anatomy, along with the stresses of pregnancy and childbirth, make women much more likely to have UI than men. Many people are embarrassed about this problem and do not tell their doctor, though treatments are readily available. Urinary incontinence is quite common, affecting over 12 million adults.