How Can Diabetes Cause Incontinence?

When you think about diabetes, what comes to mind? High blood sugar levels? Insulin shots? A need for careful diet and exercise? You might not realize it, but there’s another potential complication of diabetes that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it should: incontinence. That’s right—diabetes and incontinence often go hand-in-hand. In fact, research has shown that people with diabetes are three times more likely to experience incontinence than those without the condition. But how exactly does diabetes cause incontinence? Read on to find out.

There are two main ways in which diabetes can lead to incontinence: damage to the nerves and damage to the bladder muscles. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

One of the most common complications of diabetes is nerve damage, also known as diabetic neuropathy. This nerve damage can occur anywhere in the body, including the nerves that control the bladder muscles. When these particular nerves are damaged, they may be less able to send signals from the brain to the muscles that control urine flow. As a result, you may find yourself leaking urine even when your bladder isn’t full.

In addition to damaging the nerves, diabetes can also cause damage to the muscles of the bladder itself. Over time, high blood sugar levels can weaken these muscles and make them less able to store urine effectively. This can lead to urinary incontinence, or leakage of urine due to an overactive bladder.

As you can see, there are a few different ways in which diabetes can cause incontinence. If you have diabetes and are struggling with incontinence, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor about treatment options. With proper management, it is possible to keep your incontinence under control and live a normal, active life.