Managing Menopause Incontinence

Many people become more confident in themselves as they age. Lisa Snowdon shared this sentiment when she admitted in our Age of Confidence research: she only started to feel confident at age 50. Menopause doesn’t have to stand in the way of you doing what you love – and neither should urine leakage.  

Most people have heard about the common symptoms of menopause, like hot flushes and mood swings, but the relationship between and is less known. Up to 50% of post-menopausal women experience urine leakage every now and then, so it’s certainly something that we should acknowledge, and learn to address.  

In this article we’ll look at why menopause can cause incontinence, along with ways you can reduce the impact of menopause urine leakage , so you can enjoy your life in total confidence.

Why does menopause cause incontinence and bladder weakness?

When you go through menopause, your body stops producing as much oestrogen. Oestrogen is involved in many bodily functions and has an important part to play in keeping your bladder and urinary tract healthy. Decreased levels of oestrogen may result in symptoms like vaginal dryness, urinary frequency, urgency and urine leakage. 

These symptoms are collectively known as “genitourinary syndrome of menopause” (GSM). Between 40-60% of postmenopausal women experience GSM, but few seek treatment. 

Different types of menopause urinary incontinence that you might experience because of GSM

Stress incontinence 

Symptoms of stress incontinence include urine leaks when coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping or heavy lifting. 

Urge  

If you often feel a sudden and pressing need to urinate, or sometimes you can’t make it to the loo on time, you may be experiencing urge incontinence. You might also wake up several times at night with an urge to urinate – a condition called nocturia. 

What you can do to manage menopause urine leakage

You don’t have to put up with ! Here are some of the steps you can take to ease the symptoms of GSM and manage incontinence during menopause: 

  • Strengthen your pelvic floor so that it’s more capable of controlling your bladder and little leaks. 

  • Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they can irritate your bladder and cause feelings of urgency. 

  • Limit how much you drink in the evening so that you’re less likely to need to use the loo at night. 

  • Explore products that can help with little leaks such as TENA Lights, our thin and discreet liner with fast absorption for the protection of the most sensitive of skin. 

  • If incontinence is having a negative effect on your daily routine and quality of life, we recommend you speak to your doctor to get an assessment and a diagnosis. They may then be able to offer you medical treatment and advice for your individual circumstance. 

Find out more about how to deal with incontinence. 

 

For additional menopause help and support, learn about the stages of menopause, and how menopause can impact your mental health.  

1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6528037 

Further reading