Source: French to English Tester Published on: 2026-05-12
Source: The Conversation – France in French (3)– By Marina Gómez de Quero Córdoba, Lecturer Professor in the Nursing Degree, Rovira i Virgili University Female urinary incontinence is neither a benign disease nor a "normal" consequence related to aging, childbirth, or menopause.
It is a common disorder, with a profound biological, psychological, and social impact, affecting quality of life. Yet treatments do exist, and most of them do not involve "surgery". Laughing, coughing, or leaving the house… what happens when these daily actions become sources of constant stress?
This is what millions of women who suffer fromurinary incontinence, a health problem as common as it is underdiagnosed.
It is estimated that about oneone woman out of threewill suffer from a form of incontinence during their life (This pathology affects between 25 and 40% of women according to studies, specifies theFrench Ministry of Health, Translator's note).
Yet, this reality is often trivialized and kept silent. This is neither a benign illness nor a "normal" consequence of age, childbirth, or menopause. We are talking here about a disorder that has a profound biological, psychological, and social impact, which affects the quality of life of those who suffer from it.
From a physiological point of view,Urinary incontinence is due to an alteration of the mechanisms that control the storage and evacuation of urine. Under normal conditions, the bladder fills gradually while the pelvic floor muscles and urethral sphincters remain contracted, preventing leaks.
When this system fails – due to pelvic floor weakness, neurological lesions, overactivity of thedetrusor muscleor hormonal disorders – voluntary control of urination is lost. Certain factors, such aspregnanciesand thechildbirths, themenopause, aging, previous surgical interventions, or certain neurological diseases can contribute to such changes.
This leads to different types of incontinence, such as stress incontinence (caused by physical effort, coughing, laughing…), urge incontinence (when a strong urgency to urinate is felt and a small amount escapes before reaching the toilet), or mixed incontinence.
When the problem is not just physical For years, this problem has been addressed almost exclusively from the physical perspective: how much urine is lost, how often, what type of protection to use… However, the real burden of incontinence is not only at the bladder level but also in what it causes emotionally.
In a study recently published in the journalClinical Nursing, we examined the situation of 200 women suffering from urinary incontinence, followed in a urological nursing care service. Our results reveal that more than 60% of them showed symptoms of depression and nearly 67% exhibited clinically significant anxiety.
Even though this data does not allow for establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship, these are nevertheless problems that coexist and mutually influence each other. It is also likely that prior factors – such as a history of anxiety or depression, chronic illnesses, or stressful life situations – contribute to this psychological distress.
Indeed, it is a persistent emotional suffering, associated with the constant fear of urinary leakage, social shame, and the feeling of loss of control.
Living in a state of permanent alert Many women who suffer from incontinence organize their lives around this symptom; they constantly ask themselves: "Where are the toilets?", "What clothes should I wear?", "How long is it possible to stay out of the house?", whether they can engage in physical activity, or travel…
This constant vigilance generates achronic stressÂ: neither the body nor the mind finds rest, until reaching a point where it becomes exhausting. Furthermore, nearly 80% of the women we surveyed stated they need to gather more information about urinary incontinence.
Many turn to the Internet or their social circle, which provide fragmented information, misconceptions, or contradictory messages. (Ameli, the Health Insurance website, dedicates acomplete file on urinary incontinence, Ed. Nurses have established themselves as key figures in health education and support.
Why?
Because of their health knowledge, their ability to provide a safe space for expression, the emotional support they offer, and the fact that they represent a figure (often female, which also helped) to whom one can entrust what could not have been told to anyone for years.
Health education is not only about informing but also about explaining based on science and knowledge, in language that patients can understand. This approach enables active listening, validation, emotional regulation, and support regarding self-esteem. Urinary incontinence has repercussions not only on the individual but also on body image, sexual life, and mental health.
That is why treating it solely with protective products or temporary solutions is not enough. Thescientific dataemphasize the need for a holistic approach that takes into account both physical symptoms and emotional impact. How to reduce incontinence and who to contact?
There exists today ofnumerous effective measures to reduce urinary incontinence, and most are not surgical. The main approach is to follow a"Conservative" treatment, which notably includes pelvic floor rehabilitation through exercises supervised by professionals, in order to improve urinary control and significantly reduce leaks.
Added to this are strategies such as bladder training, modification of voiding habits, or adjustment of liquid and caffeine intake. Health education, provided by nurses or urologists, is also an essential element to break down misconceptions and promote treatment adherence.
In some cases, one can resort topessaries, silicone devices that are inserted into the vagina to support the pelvic organs. Their use is particularly useful in cases of prolapse, that is when the bladder, uterus, or rectum descend from their normal position due to weakening of the pelvic floor.
Additionally, medication treatment may be prescribed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the type of incontinence. When these measures are not sufficient,different surgical optionscan be considered. Among them is the placement of a sub-urethral sling, which supports the urethra to prevent leaks during efforts such as coughing or laughing.
An alternative is theBurch colposuspension, a surgical intervention that lifts and secures the neck of the bladder. In some cases, it is also possible to consider theinsertion of an artificial urinary sphincter.
Ultimately, it should be emphasized that scientific data demonstrate that early and personalized care improves the physical symptoms, quality of life, and emotional well-being of women affected by this condition. < class="fine-print">Marina Gómez de Quero Córdoba does not work for, advise, hold shares in, or receive funds from any organization that could benefit from this article, and has declared no affiliation other than her research institution. –ref.
Female urinary incontinence: an underestimated problem responsible for much suffering –https://theconversation.com/female-urinary-incontinence-an-underrated-problem-responsible-for-much-suffering-282397