We take your privacy very seriously, please consent to the use of all cookies when visiting our website. for more information on the processing of personal data, please refer to the Privacy Policy.

EN
Make an Appointment

Concealing Illness for Fear of Treatment: The Untold Secret of Middle-Aged and Elderly Women...

  • News
  • 2024-09-04

A Hong Kong Auntie Seeks Medical Care in Shunde

Auntie Qiu, born in the 1990s, was among the early batch of migrant workers who moved from Shunde to Hong Kong. She gave birth to two children and, through hard work and diligence, accumulated a certain amount of wealth. She currently resides in Hong Kong. Two years ago, she gradually began to experience embarrassing coughing and wetting of her pants during activity; six months ago, this urine leakage became more pronounced, with leakage occurring even with minimal activity; one month ago, she developed obvious itching and pain in the external genital area. She visited a hospital but, due to a surgery waiting list of up to 8 months, she was unable to receive effective treatment.


During a visit to Shunde to see relatives, Auntie Qiu learned about the expertise of the Gynecology team at HeYou Hospital and came to seek consultation. Dr. Yang Xiaomei diagnosed her with severe urinary incontinence, vulvitis, and anterior vaginal wall prolapse. She was treated with sitz baths and topical medications, while also undergoing outpatient cardiopulmonary function assessment. The patient had frequent premature ventricular contractions, but after an internal medicine consultation, there were no contraindications for surgery. Led by Director Chen Jianguo, the Gynecology team performed a tension-free mid-urethral sling procedure and anterior vaginal wall repair for Auntie Qiu, and the surgery was completed successfully.


Postoperatively, Auntie Qiu recovered well, with the urinary catheter removed on day 3, normal urination, and no urine leakage. During a recent hospital follow-up, Auntie Qiu expressed her profound gratitude to HeYou Hospital, especially the Gynecology team.

Relevant studies indicate that the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence among adult women in China is 18.9%, with rates as high as 28% in the 50-59 age group, meaning approximately 1 in 3.5 women is affected.


An undeniable fact is that currently, there is poor global awareness of urinary incontinence, leading to low consultation rates; among women in China, particularly middle-aged and elderly women, this issue is treated with extreme secrecy and shame, making it difficult to discuss. Most are too embarrassed to see a doctor, instead allowing the condition to progress amidst embarrassment, suffering, and delay.


Is Urinary Incontinence Normal with Age and Not Requiring Treatment?

Wrong!

In daily life, many women consider urinary incontinence a common occurrence during pregnancy or postpartum. Many patients mistakenly believe that “it happens to everyone as they age” and “it is not a disease and cannot be treated”, which is a highly erroneous viewpoint.


Urination is a fundamental daily physiological activity. The inability to hold urine and leakage upon coughing is a common unspoken problem for many middle-aged women. Some women also experience urine leakage when laughing, sneezing, or running, while others may wet their pants with minimal activity. Medically, this is known as stress urinary incontinence. In fact, current medical technology can effectively treat urinary incontinence.

Is Urinary Incontinence Just an Inconvenience, Not Affecting Health?

Wrong!


Urinary incontinence causes significant inconvenience to patients' lives. Patients may reduce their activities, fear drinking water, find it difficult to participate in social activities, experience significant mental stress, and even have their sexual life affected.


Many women even believe that “this kind of thing is not life-threatening, so I can just endure it”. In reality, long-term urinary incontinence can not only lead to severe urological complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, cystitis, vaginitis, sexual dysfunction, voiding dysfunction, and life-threatening conditions like uremia, but it is also often accompanied by pelvic floor dysfunction. Only by seeking early medical consultation and treatment can patients be freed from the worsening of urinary incontinence and the emergence of other complications.


How Do I Know If I Have Urinary Incontinence?


If you leak urine when you laugh heartily, cough, or sneeze...

If you leak urine when you feel the urge to urinate but cannot reach the toilet in time...


 The main types of urinary incontinence include:

Stress Urinary Incontinence: Urine leaks when abdominal pressure increases, such as during coughing or laughing.

Urge Urinary Incontinence: A sudden, strong urge to urinate followed by involuntary urine leakage before reaching the toilet.

Mixed Urinary Incontinence: Symptoms of both stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence are present.


 In the gynecology clinic, the doctor will perform tests such as urodynamics to determine the type and severity of urinary incontinence, formulate an appropriate treatment plan, and improve treatment outcomes.


How to Treat Urinary Incontinence in Middle-Aged and Elderly Women

Due to reasons such as shame in discussing their condition, elderly patients often delay treatment. In reality, early detection and treatment can lead to significant improvement or even a cure.


Currently, treatment options for urinary incontinence in middle-aged and elderly women include conservative treatment, medication, and surgery.

For patients with mild to moderate symptoms, non-surgical conservative treatment and/or medication are recommended. This may include pelvic floor magnetic stimulation therapy, electrical stimulation therapy, or Kegel exercises. Given the low compliance and slow onset of action of Kegel exercises, it is recommended to undergo hospital-based treatment while incorporating these exercises and maintaining them in daily life for more sustained results.

Invasive treatments such as surgery are reserved for patients with severe symptoms or those whose quality of life is severely impacted.


Author of this article>>>Department of Gynecology  |  Yang Xiaomei

(Due to individual patient differences, treatment outcomes may vary. Please consult a professional physician for specific advice.)