Incontinence Care

Incontinence Treatment

Bladder problems are common and can affect a person’s quality of life, confidence, and relationships.

These problems should not be regarded as a normal part of aging, as many treatments can produce excellent results.

Incontinence is the medical term anytime there is a leakage of bodily fluids. The most common types are fecal, urinary, or bladder leakage.

At Kenya Laparoscopic Surgery Services (KLASS), we understand what you are going through and we will walk with you through your healing journey.

Read more below to find out the various options for treating urinary and fecal incontinence with Prof. Rafique Parkar, a laparoscopic surgeon in Nairobi, Kenya.

Relief from incontinence at KLASS

Urinary or fecal incontinence can cause a significant decline in your quality of life, affecting your social and professional lives and making you feel uncomfortable and self-conscious.

As the experts on vaginal health, our highly-skilled specialists can offer you a wide range of treatments to address this condition.

KLASS offers a range of treatments to help women in and around Kenya control and even eliminate symptoms so they can lead happier, healthier lives.

To learn more about our advanced treatment options available in Nairobi, Kenya, contact us or schedule a consultation so that you can finally treat all of your concerns and say goodbye to incontinence.

Types of Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control. Anyone can experience urinary incontinence, but it becomes most common with age. In women, it can be caused by pregnancy and vaginal childbirth, genetic factors, obesity, and other medical conditions.

It is important to understand which type of incontinence you (or the person you care for) is experiencing to help manage the condition effectively.

• Stress incontinence is marked when urine leaks from the bladder as the result of exertion or physical stress; for example, after coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping, or pressure on the pelvis. It is due to structural problems of the uterus pelvic floor bladder and urethra.
• Urge incontinence is usually a neurological problem and shows a severe and uncontrollable urge to urinate with no time to find a bathroom.
• Mixed incontinence is a combination of the two and is the most common type of incontinence.
• Overflow incontinence is the constant dribbling of urine because the bladder has failed to empty fully.
• Nocturnal Enuresis (bedwetting) occurs most frequently with children but many adults are also are affected. Symptoms of nocturnal enuresis are similar to those of urge incontinence with the person experiencing an urgent need to pass urine and being unable to reach a toilet in time.

Fecal Incontinence

Also known as bowel incontinence, it is an inability to control bowel movements, resulting in the involuntary passage of stools.

The experience of fecal incontinence can vary from person to person. Some people feel a sudden, urgent need to go to the washrooms, and incontinence occurs because they are unable to reach there in time.

It is usually a symptom of an underlying problem or medical condition. Many cases are caused by diarrhea, constipation, or weakening of the ring of muscle that controls the opening of the anus.

It can also be caused by long-term conditions such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and dementia.

What causes incontinence?

It can be caused by everyday habits, underlying medical conditions, or physical problems.

Urinary incontinence is more common in women than in men, primarily because of the effect of pregnancy and childbirth on the pelvic floor.

Other causes include:

• Certain drinks, foods, and medications. They may act as diuretics therefore stimulating your bladder and increasing your volume of urine.
• Urinary tract infection. Infections can irritate your bladder, causing you to have strong urges to urinate.
• Constipation. The rectum is located near the bladder and shares many of the same nerves. Hard, compacted stool in your rectum causes these nerves to be overactive and increase urinary frequency.
• Damage to the bladder or nearby areas during surgery – such as the removal of the womb (hysterectomy) in women, or removal of the prostate gland in men.
• Increased pressure on your tummy – for example, due to pregnancy or obesity.
• Injury to your spinal cord – this can disrupt the nerve signals between your brain and your bladder.
• Bladder fistula – a small, tunnel-like hole that can form between the bladder and a nearby area, such as the vagina, in women.

Factors that increase your risk may include:

1. Family history: If a close family member has urge incontinence, your risk of developing the condition is higher.
2. Gender: Women are more likely to have stress incontinence. Pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and normal female anatomy account for this difference. However, men with prostate gland problems are at increased risk of urge and overflow incontinence.
3. Age: Changes with age reduce how much your bladder can hold and increase the chances of involuntary urine release. As you get older, the muscles in your bladder and urethra lose some of their strength.
4. Being overweight: Extra weight increases pressure on your bladder and surrounding muscles, which weakens them and allows urine to leak out when you cough or sneeze.
5. Other diseases: Neurological disease or diabetes may increase your risk of incontinence.

How is incontinence prevented?

Incontinence is not preventable. However, to help decrease your risk:

• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Practice pelvic floor exercises.
• Avoid bladder irritants, such as caffeine, alcohol, and acidic foods.
• Eat more fiber, which can prevent constipation.
• Don’t smoke, or seek help to quit smoking.

Comprehensive diagnosis for personalized care plans

Creating a personalized care plan for you starts with a comprehensive evaluation that allows our experts to determine the type of incontinence you’re experiencing and what’s causing it.

It is important to determine the type of incontinence that you have, and your symptoms often tell your doctor which type you have to guide in treatment decisions.

Your specialist at KLASS starts with a thorough history and physical exam. You may then be asked to do a simple exercise that can demonstrate incontinence, such as coughing.
Other tests include:

• Urinalysis, a sample of your urine is checked for signs of infection, traces of blood, or other abnormalities.
• Urodynamic evaluation, a study performed to assess the function of the bladder. During the urodynamic evaluation, the bladder is filled using a catheter, and pressures inside the bladder are recorded.
• Bladder diary, for several days you record how much you drink, when you urinate, the amount of urine you produce, whether you had an urge to urinate, and the number of incontinence episodes.
• Post-void residual measurement, you’re asked to urinate (void) into a container that measures urine output. Then your doctor checks the amount of leftover urine in your bladder using a catheter or ultrasound test. A large amount of leftover urine in your bladder may mean that you have an obstruction in your urinary tract or a problem with your bladder nerves or muscles.
• Digital rectal exam. Your doctor evaluates the strength of your sphincter muscles and also checks for any abnormalities in the rectal area. 
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI can provide clear pictures of the sphincter to determine if the muscles are intact and can also provide images during defecation.

How is incontinence treated? 

Treatment depends on the type of incontinence, its severity, and the underlying cause.

KLASS offers a range of treatments to help women in and around Kenya lead happier, healthier lives.

There are many non-surgical methods that treat incontinence. Behavioral therapy includes maintaining a strict schedule of avoiding and monitoring fluid intake.

A physiotherapist can help with pelvic floor strengthening by using kegel exercises which are often recommended to improve bladder control and increase control over the sphincter muscles for fecal incontinence.

If these measures are unsuccessful then medication may be used. For example, mirabegron (Myrbetriq) relaxes the bladder muscle and can increase the amount of urine your bladder can hold. Bulk laxatives such as methylcellulose (Citrucel) and psyllium (Metamucil), are also used if chronic constipation is causing your incontinence.

Medical devices designed to treat women with incontinence can also be used. They include:

• Urethral insert, a small, tampon-like disposable device inserted into the urethra before a specific activity, such as tennis, that can trigger incontinence. The insert acts as a plug to prevent leakage and is removed before urination.
• Pessary, a stiff ring that you insert and wear all day. It is typically used in someone who has a prolapse that is causing incontinence. The pessary helps hold up your bladder, which lies near the vagina, to prevent urine leakage.

If medication does not resolve the problem, we offer several minimally invasive surgical procedures for incontinence, which include; prolapse surgery( for women with mixed incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse), mid-urethral tape operations, bulking of the bladder neck, and botox to the bladder.

More Treatment Options

The team of highly qualified specialists at Kenya Laparoscopic Surgery Services makes going to the doctor a refreshingly convenient and rewarding experience.

They specialize in diagnosing and treating incontinence and have experience treating people who have had previous, unsuccessful treatments.

We use minimally invasive techniques to treat conditions such as rectal prolapse, a rectocele, or hemorrhoids.

If medical and surgical treatments can’t eliminate your condition, patients use absorbent pads, liners, and undergarments to manage their incontinence.

Our laparoscopic surgeon in Kenya is trained in the latest gynecologic surgery techniques and specializes in minimally invasive procedures to help you regain your confidence.

Whether you need a well-woman checkup, treatment of an ongoing condition, such as gynecologic cancers, we look forward to caring for you at every stage in your life.

Your Laparoscopy Procedure With Prof. Rafique Parkar

Expert care and treatment

Prof. Rafique Parkar pioneered Minimal Access Surgery in Africa 25 years ago and operates at the highest level of expertise in Africa. ( Level VI )

He is committed to improving the lifestyles of women in Kenya and the world by helping them gain access to top-level minimal access surgery in Africa.

He strongly believes that all women have the right to informed consent and should have access to the best treatment plans suited for them and that is the reason why he founded KLASS ( Kenya Laparoscopic Surgery Services ).

Together with his team at KLASS, they provide the highest level of holistic surgical care to women, ensuring that they meet their individual health needs.

Prof. Rafique Parkar specializes in helping women who ail from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Uterine Fibroids, Ovarian Cysts, Endometriosis, Pelvic Floor Problems, Ectopic Pregnancies, and Gynecologic Cancers.