While laughing incontinent

Lach incontinence more common in girls

02/21/2013

At the latest then, children no longer feel like laughing: without their having previously felt the slightest urination, their bladder empties when they laugh - completely. What a proverb „Putting oneself in front of laughter "still sounds funny, represents a major psychological burden for those affected., Mostly, the disease is with puberty, but sometimes it remains an unpleasant companion In children, medications and targeted pelvic floor training remedy, adults also help Botox injections.

Experts have yet to clarify how this disease, also known as giggle incontinence, can occur. „However, there are studies that show that often several cases within a family accumulate, so that genetic causes are obvious“, describes Dr. Reinhold Schaefer, urologist and managing director of the medical network Uro-GmbH Nordrhein, the current scientific status. Organically, urologists attribute the uncontrollable urine output when laughing mainly to unstable emptying muscles, which allow only an incomplete bladder control. Mostly, the disease occurs in girls between eight and twelve years and disappears after puberty by itself again. „However, going to the urologist is indispensable - even if the affected girl has a hard time“, emphasizes Shepherd. Because the consequences for the mental health of children weigh heavily: In addition to their own feelings of shame combined with low self-esteem, peers often strengthen the suffering by massive teasing.

Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles helps with Lach incontinence
One therapy option, for example, provides targeted training to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Dr. Schaefer clarifies: „Especially girls of this age develop for the first time ever an awareness of their pelvic floor muscles and learn to tense this targeted.“ If this measure does not adequately relieve symptoms, it is usually medications that help to combat this form of urgency incontinence. In some - albeit rare - cases, the disease also survives puberty. Urodynamic measurements then use pressure probes and electrodes to provide information about the functioning of the urinary bladder in order to rule out other organic causes. „Treatments are very individual due to the lack of scientific data. In some cases, urologists achieved very good results by injecting Botox into the bladder muscle“, concludes Dr. Shepherd. (Pm)

Image: Benjamin Thorn