Psychosomatic aspects of urinary incontinence

Psychosomatic aspects of urogynecological disorders may play an important role in their clinical presentation. 72 patients presenting to the urogynecological clinics and a control group of 34 healthy women were included in this study. After informed consent had been obtained, all patients were subje...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of gynecology and obstetrics 1999-03, Vol.262 (3-4), p.151-158
Main Authors: Bodden-Heidrich, R, Beckmann, M W, Libera, B, Rechenberger, I, Bender, H G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anger - physiology
Depression - physiopathology
Depression - psychology
Female
Humans
Menarche
Middle Aged
Personality
Pilot Projects
Psychological Tests
Psychophysiologic Disorders - physiopathology
Psychophysiologic Disorders - psychology
Sexuality - physiology
Sexuality - psychology
Statistics, Nonparametric
Urinary incontinence
Urinary Incontinence - physiopathology
Urinary Incontinence - psychology
Urodynamics - physiology
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Summary:Psychosomatic aspects of urogynecological disorders may play an important role in their clinical presentation. 72 patients presenting to the urogynecological clinics and a control group of 34 healthy women were included in this study. After informed consent had been obtained, all patients were subjected to (1) a detailed enquiry about personal- and medical history (2) psychological tests (Freiburg's personality inventory, a questionnaire focused on anxiety and anger, and Beck's depression inventory) and (3) routine urodynamic measurement. Patients with stress incontinence had a mean duration of symptoms of 59 months. In 67% there was a combination with clinical urge symptoms. 53% of the patients did not have regular sexual intercourse. Of those who had regular intercourse 23% had incontinence during intercourse and 25% were anorgasmic. 59% of the patients had dysmenorrhea and a negative attitude to their menarche. Urodynamic evaluation showed stress, urge or no incontinence in 39%, 12% and 39%, respectively. Analysis of the psychosomatic tests did not show a specific psychosomatic influence. Negative sexual life correlated with depressive mood, which was not based on the urogynecological problem. There was no causal relationship between personality traits and urogynecological problems. The individual perception of incontinence, however, may depend on or influence personality structure.
ISSN:0932-0067
1432-0711
DOI:10.1007/s004040050243