A Consultant Urologist, Ogah Hospital and Urology Centre, Fugar, Edo State, Dr. Gabriel Ogah said age, pelvic organ prolapse, and enlarged prostate are predisposing factors to urinary incontinence.
The urologist, however, said while the causes of the condition differ among males and females, it is mostly seen in the context of childbirth in women.
Ogah, nevertheless, noted that the most common cause of urinary incontinence is prostate enlargement, particularly in older men.
Speaking in an interview with PUNCH HealthWise, Ogah however, urged Nigerians with the health condition to seek treatment, noting that urinary incontinence can be reversed if treated effectively.
Urinary incontinence, he said, is the inability to control one’s urine as control over the urinary sphincter is either lost or weakened.
“Normally before a person passes urine, you have to decide that the time is appropriate, the environment is appropriate and you decide consciously to pass urine.
“When you are not ready to pass it, then you hold it until it’s convenient but when the urine comes out on its own without you being in total control, we will say it’s urinary incontinence.
“The causes depend on the age of children. Some children are born with it and we call it bedwetting, we have some children who bed wet when they go to bed and they outgrow it when they become older but some children bed wet all through the time they are in secondary school and their classmates will make jest of them.
“We have adults who bed wet but the causes differ for both male and female”
Explaining, the urologist said when a lady is bedwetting, it may be because such a person has urinary problems from the brain and is unable to control her urine.
“Even at night, they produce excess urine or ladies may bed wet because they have something blocking the exit of the urine from their bladder when you have a urethral infection,” he said.
He added that fibroid can also expand the uterus and press against the bladder, reducing its capacity to hold urine or block the outflow for urine to pass.
“For men, bedwetting is not as common as it is for women or children. When a male adult bed wets, it is because they have an enlarged prostate which is blocking their flow of urine so that when they lie down, the urinary bladder is distended with urine and will not be able to control the urine.
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