The link between incontinence and stress can be ironic for some. I already covered common constipation causes. If you read that, you’ll remember mood issues were among them. Why would stress also cause incontinence?
Well, you’ve probably heard “peeing themselves” concerning fear. That’s quite true. Our “fight or flight” response includes our bladder.
Why does that happen? That’s our topic for today.
Incontinence and stress during childhood
When thinking about incontinence, kids are always there. Many have seen children pee themselves. This study also found that these cases seem to be more common than we thought.
The study found a high prevalence among children in primary school. As such, these cases correlate with a crucial development period.
Childhood stressors and incontinence prevalence
However, it goes beyond that. The main causes behind childhood incontinence included emotional stress. It could increase daytime wetting odds by a 5.7 ratio. Family history was another factor.
However, we can’t overlook the stressors. Primary school is a first for children in many ways. Particularly, responsibilities and socialization become more crucial. Emotional stress while adapting could tie into these numbers.
The physical relationship between incontinence and stress
As we mentioned, our emotional response to danger results in incontinence. However, we haven’t gone through the physical implications. Emotional stress impacts two crucial organs: our bladder and gastrointestinal tract (GI).
In other words, urinating and defecating are equally common. Additionally, incontinence and anxiety share a mutual relationship. The latter causes the former—and vice-versa.
The bladder
Your need to urinate might come from adrenaline. This hormone disrupts the muscles responsible for bladder relaxation. In other words, you’ll feel like your bladder gets squeezed.
We’ve all been there as well. If you’re stressed, you probably feel like peeing more often. Lying in bed worrying about having to go pee before sleeping makes it more likely.
The GI
On the other hand, defecating follows a similar story. Holding urine and feces involves the same muscles. Therefore, both functions act similarly during stress.
The same goes for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Most IBS patients also suffer from general anxiety or depression.
The holistic takeaway
Incontinence is as stressful as embarrassing. The link between incontinence and stress is particularly problematic. If you worry about incontinence, it’ll get worse. Luckily, you can do several things to help it.
Relaxation exercises and natural supplementation can help. However, don’t hesitate to seek help. Don’t wait until things get out of hand.
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