Going through the menopause can be a time of high anxiety for some women. From hot flushes and mood swings to headaches, muscle aches and weight gain, a woman’s life can be impacted in a variety of ways when symptoms hit....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Menopause usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can happen earlier, and it will feel different for everyone. While some women may get away with little to no symptoms, others may go through severe changes that can put a strain on their relationships, social life and work.
One such symptom that can cause a huge amount of discomfort is bladder leakage, which is thought to affect around half of menopausal women. According to a poll of more than 1,000 women, half of women are unaware this can be a common sign of menopause.
Of those who do experience bladder leaks during menopause, the poll, conducted by feminine hygiene brand Always, found more than 50 per cent are not sure they would want to discuss it with anyone, with nearly 20 per cent citing embarrassment as the reason.
According to Always, bladder leaks during menopause are typically down to one of two different types of incontinence: stress incontinence or urge incontinence.
Stress incontinence is the result of a weakening of the pelvic floor – the system of muscles, ligaments, and tissue that support your bladder and uterus – which can happen as a result of things like pregnancy, childbirth, hormonal changes, or gaining weight.
In this case, activities such as laughing, sneezing, coughing, or exercising can put pressure on the bladder, resulting in leaks.
Urge incontinence is a result of declining oestrogen levels, muscle or nerve damage in the bladder tissue caused by past pelvic surgery, such as a C-section, or a neurological disease, such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s. In this case, the bladder muscles may spasm involuntarily, which creates frequent intense and sudden urges to urinate.
Broadcaster and author Mariella Frostrup, who is supporting a campaign from Always to highlight the condition, stressed that bladder leakage is often one of the menopause symptoms women can effectively self-manage – through pelvic floor exercise.
Pelvic floor exercises are simple exercises that involve squeezing the muscles around the pelvis, bladder and vaginal area. The campaign encourages women to work them into their routines and do them daily.
Frostrup said: “It’s something a lot of women live with, a lot of women don’t talk about, and a lot of women feel ashamed about – but it is actually something you can tackle, when there’s so many other symptoms women struggle to obtain treatment for. Here’s something you can personally take agency of, and do your pelvic floor exercises.”
The writer, who co-authored the 2021 book Cracking The Menopause, said she was encouraged by her mum from an early age to do pelvic floor exercises. “I think probably back then, it was more to do with childbirth and making that a bit easier in the future, but I was lucky in a way, as it’s something I’ve had an understanding about,” she said.
She added: “With so many of these things, you need a bit of levity as well. Obviously, [bladder leakage] is not the most pleasant thing – but it’s not the end of the world, and you can prevent it and actually make a difference if you’re already suffering.”
Frostrup said ignorance around the signs of menopause has for many women made the transition “so much more difficult”. She said: “The discovery that one in two women are going to suffer from bladder leaks – that’s an astounding proportion, particularly when you look at it as just one of 50 symptoms around menopause that women are unaware of.”
Always also advises women struggling with bladder leakage during menopause to try and maintain a normal healthy weight as excess pounds put pressure on your pelvic floor. You should also stay hydrated as this helps guard against urinary tract infections, as well as keeping your urine from becoming too concentrated and acidic.
You may see changes in both your physical and mental health as you go through the menopause. According to the NHS, there are 12 common signs you should look out for:
The NHS explains that perimenopause is when you have symptoms of menopause but your periods have not stopped. Perimenopause ends and you reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months.
According to the NHS, menopause symptoms can last for months or years, and can change with time. For example, hot flushes and night sweats may improve, and then you may develop low mood and anxiety.
Some symptoms, such as joint pain and vaginal dryness, can carry on after your periods stop…CONTINUE READING>>
