Wang, Xiaoyan, L. Ac., MD (China)
Phone: (804) 301-1784
Email: xy9803@yahoo.com or info@acupuncturistwang.com
http://www.AcupuncturistWang.com
Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control and is a common and often embarrassing problem. The severity of urinary incontinence ranges from occasionally leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to having an urge to urinate that's so sudden and strong you don't get to a toilet in time.
Urinary incontinence can be caused by many different medical problems, including weak pelvic muscles or diabetes. Urinary incontinence may be caused by the following:
For women, thinning and drying of the skin in the vagina or urethra, especially after menopause
For men, enlarged prostate gland or prostate surgery
Weakened and stretched pelvic muscles after childbirth
Certain medicines
Build-up of stool in the bowels
Overweight and obesity, which increases pressure on the bladder and muscles that control the bladder
Urinary tract infections (UTI)
Vascular disease
Diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis
Medicine helps some types of urinary incontinence. For example, estrogen cream to put in the vagina can be helpful for some women who have mild stress incontinence. Several prescription medicines are available to treat urge incontinence. For men, prescription medicine is available to shrink the prostate and improve flow of urine through the prostate. Surgery can sometimes be helpful. It is usually only performed if other treatments haven't worked or if the incontinence is severe.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has been treating problems of urination and sexual dysfunction for thousands years. Traditional Chinese medicine views the body as an interconnected whole. Rather than examining the body to find a specific organ, muscle, or tissue that is diseased, Chinese medicine seeks to understand the imbalance of the interactions between the organs, muscles, and tissues. Once the imbalance is corrected, the root of the problem is improved and body can work to heal itself. TCM views the root cause of this condition as a kidney function disorder. The bladder and the kidney are partner organs and share a close energy relationship. This means that if the kidney is strong, the bladder is strong; if the kidney is weak, you'll have a weak bladder. In order to treat this condition effectively you need to increase kidney function. To treat only the bladder is to treat the symptom of the condition; to treat the kidney is to treat the root cause of the problem. To combat this imbalance, acupuncture and Chinese herbs is used to tone the kidney and spleen and to strengthen bladder functions. Treating the imbalance does not just treat the symptoms or mask the condition, but rather corrects the root of the problem by encouraging self-healing of the body. Chinese medicine treatment can increase ones ability hold urination, decrease number of times one urinates at night, decrease urinary urgency, and create a smoother urine flow.
