Bladder and bowel-related health conditions are common in men and women. More than half of women and a about a third of men will struggle with some element of bladder or bowel dysfunction during their lifetime.
Regardless of how common it is, this topic isn’t exactly a dinner table conversation and many people struggle with it quietly because they don’t know that there are ways to help this condition. The truth this, there are a lot of things that you can do to actively help your bladder and/or bowels function better. Among other things you can do to help, diet, exercise, and even seeing a physical therapist is a great way to start. If you are located in Eastern Idaho, there are many options for a Rigby physical therapist that can help you with this health condition.
What is Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction?
For something so common, we know so little about it. Bladder and bowel incontinence can be caused by many different things. The result of this condition is that you will have a problem holding in urine or stool.
Why Does This Happen?
When your bladder and bowels function properly, the nerves in your bladder or bowels will tell certain muscles when to relax and when to tense up. Nerves in the spinal cord will send those messages from the brain to the bladder. Then certain muscles will release the flow of urine. For passing stool, the process is similar. The difference is that the brain will send the messages to the bowels and then the muscles in the rectum and anus will control or release stool. This process allows feces and urine to be removed when you want them to be.
What Causes This Condition?
Bladder and bowel incontinence can be caused by:
- Damage to sphincter muscle nerves
- Holding in urine too long
- Having an overactive bladder
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Damage to the nervous system
- Vaginal childbirth
- Rectal prolapse
- Rectum pushing into the vagina
- Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stress
- Side effects of medication
- Stroke
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Diabetes
- Spinal cord or brain infections
- Hemorrhoids
- Damage after surgery
How to Manage Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction?
Some common ways to treat this condition are:
Changes in diet
There are many things we eat or drink that can add to bowel or bladder problems. By changing up what we eat and how much we drink, we can help better this condition. Foods that are high in fiber, like certain fruits and vegetables can help significantly with constipation
Physical Therapy
By seeing a Rigby physical therapist about your condition, they can work with you and recommend certain exercises and routines that can help relieve the pain of your condition. These exercises will help build muscles that can help you have more control over your bowels and bladder.
Medications
There are some medications that your doctor can prescribe to help with bowel and bladder dysfunction. Talk to your healthcare provider about your issues to see what he recommends for your condition.
Bowel and Bladder Dysfunction
Unfortunately, bladder and bowel incontinence is a very common condition among both men and women. Fortunately, by knowing more about this condition you can find a treatment plan to relieve these symptoms and regain your health.
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