Women and LUTS

LUTS is short for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, and includes symptoms like frequency, urgency, poor stream and dribbling. The term LUTS cover both gender but is more often applied to men – paradoxically enough since the overall prevalence is higher in women.

• Urinary incontinence is about 2,5 to 3 times more common in women.
• The risk of UTI’s 3-4 times greater in women.
• Overactive bladder is more common in women.

LUTS is divided into two main categories: Problems related to storage or voiding.

Storage problems

You may find that you accidentally leak a little wee when you cough, sneeze or exercise. This is referred to as stress incontinence and is common after pregnancy and child birth.

Urine leakage is also common due to neurological diseases like MS, and/or because of an overactive bladder (OAB). The bladder contracts when it shouldn’t, causing leakage. This is referred to as urge incontinence.

Incontinence and storage problems are generally more common in women than in men.

Voiding problem

Urinary retention is the opposite of incontinence – you have trouble emptying your bladder completely. When there is urine left in the bladder, the risk of infections increases. If this is not resolved, the kidneys can be harmed.

Retention is common in elderly men but quite unusual in women unless you have a neurological disease, prolapse or postoperative surgical complications.

Retention can either be due to a mechanical barrier, such as an enlarged prostate, or impaired muscles of the bladder wall. The latter is often referred to as atonic bladder, and means that the bladder muscles are too weak to contract.

Voiding problems are generally more common in men than in women.