Menopause Bladder and Bowel Control Problems

“You should not ignore these problems because without help, they rarely go away and usually get worse over time. They can interfere with work, social activities…”.1

Umbrella
What may the Menopause Bladder and Bowel Control Problems Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Bladder Control
  • Bowel Control
  • Continence
  • Incontinence
  • Light Bladder Leakage (LBL)
  • Urinary Control

Menopause

Is there an association between menopause and bladder and bowel control?

In Women: Menopause – Menopause and Continence the Continence Foundation of Australia elaborate on:

“There are a few ways that menopause can impact your bladder and bowel control. These include:

  • Weak pelvic floor muscles…
  • A less elastic bladder…
  • Vaginal dryness…
  • Weight gain…
  • Other health problems…
  • Hysterectomy…
  • Anal trauma / surgery…”.2

Symptoms

What are the most common incontinence symptoms?

In Women: Menopause – Menopause and Continence: Symptoms the Continence Foundation of Australia explain:

Menopause Bladder and Bowel Control Problems“During menopause, passing urine frequently and the urgent need to pass urine are the most common incontinence symptoms. Other symptoms include:

  • Leakage of urine with coughs, sneezes, or exercise
  • Leakage of urine on the way to the toilet
  • Getting up one or more times per night to pass urine (nocturia)
  • Frequent urinary tract infections
  • Rushing to the toilet to open bowels
  • Being unable to control wind
  • Constipation”.3

In Menopause: Symptoms – Common Menopausal Symptoms the (United Kingdom) NHS also note common menopausal symptoms include:

  • “…Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)…”.4

Urinary Tract Infection

What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

DotS the definition of a UTI may vary. The (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health’s (JH) definition is:

“A UTI is an infection of the urinary tract that can affect the:

  • Bladder (Cystitis)
  • Urethra (Urethritis)
  • Vagina (Vaginitis)
  • Kidneys (Pyelonephritis)”.5

In Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): What Is A UTI? the JH also note:

“The most common type of UTI in women is cystitis (infection of the bladder)”.6

Diary

Menopause Bladder and Bowel Control ProblemsMay keeping a diary be helpful?

Yes. In Talking To Your Doctor the (United States) National Association for Continence (NAFC) elaborate on:

“By keeping a bladder or bowel diary, you are not only educating and informing yourself, you are assuming responsibility for playing a role in getting diagnosed correctly”.7

Diary Information

What important information should a diary contain?

In Talking To Your Doctor the NAFC elaborate on:

“Share your bladder diary or bowel diary with your physician or nurse. It should contain such important information as:

  • Recorded toilet habits over a 2 day period
  • A list of everything you ate and drank
  • Any nighttime trips to the bathroom? How many?
  • Note the strength of urine flow
  • Any accidents? What happened to cause them?

You might discover more than one set of symptoms and thus face multiple solutions. The point is to create a record of all the symptoms in a context that will be helpful to your doctor in reaching a diagnosis”.8

Helpline

May some Countries have a national continence/incontinence Helpline?

Yes. Your Country may have a Helpline similar to the Continence Foundation of Australia’s National Continence Helpline.

Toilet Maps, Cards or Apps

May some Countries have toilet maps, cards or Apps?

Yes. Your Country may have a toilet map similar to Australia’s National Public Toilet Map: About the Toilet Map which:

“The National Public Toilet Map shows the location of more than 23,000 public and private public facilities across Australia, including toilets, adult change and baby care. Information is provided about each toilet, such as location, accessibility details, opening hours and features like sharps disposal and showers”.9

Or your Country may have a card or App similar to the (United Kingdom) Bladder & Bowel Community’s (B&B) Free Just Can’t Wait Toilet Card.

Health Care Provider

What if I think I have menopause bladder or bowel control problems?

If you think you have menopause bladder or bowel control problems, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

The Continence Foundation of Australia encourage us to seek help and explain:


Menopause Bladder and Bowel Control Problems“You should not ignore these problems because without help, they rarely go away and usually get worse over time. They can interfere with work, social activities, as well as sexual and personal relationships”.10

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Menopause Bladder and Bowel Control Problems?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Menopause Bladder and Bowel Control Problems?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

New or Updated

  1. 5 Steps You Can Take Now To Improve Bladder Health
  2. BMS TV: Urogenital Atrophy
  3. Bladder & Bowel
  4. Bladder Control Problems (Urinary Incontinence)
  5. Bladder Control Problems: How To Seek Treatment
  6. Bladder Control: Lifestyle Strategies Ease Problems
  7. Bladder Incontinence
  8. Bladder Issues Common for Women of All Ages [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network. Name Super/CG: Olivia Cardenas-Trowers, M.D./Gynecology/Mayo Clinic]
  9. Bladder Leakage: Fact Versus Fiction
  10. Bladder Retraining and Keeping A Blabber Diary
  11. Bladder Training: Tips and Techniques To Regain Control
  12. Bladderandbowel.org [Bladder & Bowel Community, United Kingdom]
  13. Bladderhealthuk.org [Bladder Health UK]
  14. Bowel Control Problems [Fecal Incontinence]
  15. Bowel Control Problems [Fecal Incontinence]: Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Faecal Incontinence – What Should I Avoid Eating If I have Faecal Incontinence? Keeping A Food Diary
  16. Bowel Control: Symptoms & Types
  17. Bowel Incontinence
  18. Bowel Incontinence
  19. Bowel Problems, Conditions & Symptoms
  20. Consumer Health: Lifestyle Strategies To Ease Bladder Control Problems In Women
  21. Consumer Health: Treating Bladder Control Problems In Women
  22. Continence Central
  23. Continence Foundation of Australia
  24. Continence Health: Bladder
  25. Continence Health: Bowel
  26. Continence Product Advisor
  27. Continence Worldwide
  28. Cystitis
  29. Cystitis
  30. Fecal Incontinence: Diagnosis & Treatment
  31. Fecal Incontinence: Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention
  32. Female Products
  33. Fistula
  34. Foods and Drinks That Can Irritate Your Bladder
  35. From Leaking Urine To Sudden Urges To Go: An Ob-Gyn Talks Bladder Control Problems
  36. Glossary
  37. How To Exercise Without Wetting Yourself
  38. How To Talk To Your Doctor About Bladder Leaks
  39. Incontinence Conditions A – Z
  40. Incontinence Diaries: Using A Bladder Diary or Bowel Diary
  41. Incontinence Information In Other Languages
  42. Incontinence: Bowel [Video]
  43. Intake and Voiding Diary
  44. International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
  45. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – After the Menopause: Urinary Incontinence
  46. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
  47. Life With Incontinence: Continence Products
  48. Low Estrogen Bladder Symptoms and Treatment
  49. Managing Your Condition
  50. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  51. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
  52. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  53. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Common Conditions Associated With Menopause and Midlife
  54. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
  55. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP #256
  56. Mixed Incontinence Causes and Treatments
  57. National Association for Continence [United States]
  58. National Association for Continence [United States]: Diet and Exercise
  59. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  60. Other Languages: Incontinence Information In Other Languages
  61. Overactive Bladder
  62. Pelvic Floor Disorder Awareness [+ Video]
  63. Pelvic Floor First [Continence Foundation of Australia]
  64. Pelvic Floor Health Center [National Association for Continence, United States]
  65. Pelvic Floor Strength: Bladder Retraining
  66. Pelvic Organ Prolapse
  67. Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
  68. Products To Treat Adult Incontinence
  69. Prolapse
  70. Stress Urinary Incontinence In Women
  71. Symptoms of Incontinence [Bowel Incontinence]
  72. Symptoms of Menopause: Bladder, Vaginal and Vulval Problems
  73. Talking To Your Doctor [+ Video: Breaking Her Silence: Some Things Are Too Important To Hold In]
  74. The 2020 Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
  75. The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
  76. The Voices of Incontinence [+ Video: The Voices of Incontinence: Incontinence and Relationships]
  77. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  78. Treating Incontinence During Your Perimenopause and Menopause Years
  79. Urinary Incontinence
  80. Urinary Incontinence
  81. Urinary Incontinence
  82. Urinary Incontinence
  83. Urinary Incontinence
  84. Urinary Incontinence In Women
  85. Urinary Incontinence Overview [+ Video: Understanding Urinary Incontinence]
  86. Urinary Incontinence – Multiply Languages
  87. Urinary Incontinence: 10 Ways To Stop Leaks
  88. Urinary Incontinence: Incontinence Products
  89. Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
  90. Vaginal Dryness
  91. Video Series-2022: Perimenopause, Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
  92. Voices for PFD [Pelvic Floor Disorders]
  93. Watch Our FAQ Video Series [Continence NZ]
  94. Watch Our FAQ Video Series: Checklist [Continence NZ]
  95. What Can You Do for An Overactive Bladder?
  96. Where Do I Start?
  97. Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit
  98. Women: Menopause – Menopause and Continence
  99. Women’s Bladder and Bowel Health Conditions
  100. World Federation for Incontinence and Pelvic Problems

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Women: Menopause – Menopause and Continence: Symptoms. Last Updated: 15 July 2021. Last Reviewed: 01 April 2020. Continence Foundation of Australia https://www.continence.org.au/who-it-affects/women/menopause Accessed: 10 January 2024
  2. Women: Menopause – Menopause and Continence. Last Updated: 15 July 2021. Last Reviewed: 01 April 2020. Continence Foundation of Australia https://www.continence.org.au/who-it-affects/women/menopause Accessed: 10 January 2024
  3. Women: Menopause – Menopause and Continence: Symptoms. Last Updated: 15 July 2021. Last Reviewed: 01 April 2020. Continence Foundation of Australia https://www.continence.org.au/who-it-affects/women/menopause Accessed: 10 January 2024
  4. Menopause: Symptoms – Common Menopausal Symptoms. Page Last Reviewed: 17 May 2022. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/#common-menopausal-symptoms Accessed: 10 January 2024
  5. Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): What Is A UTI? Last Updated: 26 August 2023 | Last Reviewed: 04 August 2018. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/bladder-bowel/urinary-tract-infections-utis Accessed: 06 September 2023
  6. Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): What Is A UTI? Last Updated: 26 August 2023 | Last Reviewed: 04 August 2018. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/bladder-bowel/urinary-tract-infections-utis Accessed: 06 September 2023
  7. Talking To Your Doctor. National Association for Continence https://www.nafc.org/talking-to-your-doctor Accessed: 10 January 2024
  8. Talking To Your Doctor. National Association for Continence https://www.nafc.org/talking-to-your-doctor Accessed: 10 January 2024
  9. National Public Toilet Map: About the Toilet Map. National Continence Program https://toiletmap.gov.au/about Accessed: 10 January 2024
  10. Women: Menopause – Menopause and Continence: Symptoms. Last Updated: 15 July 2021. Last Reviewed: 01 April 2020. Continence Foundation of Australia https://www.continence.org.au/who-it-affects/women/menopause Accessed: 10 January 2024
Topic Last Updated: 10 January 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 06 September 2023

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