Symptom 4: Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction
MSA often affects the autonomic nervous system, which controls our body’s automatic functions, including bladder and bowel control. As a result, patients may experience symptoms such as urinary urgency, incontinence, and constipation.
Urinary symptoms may initially present as a frequent need to urinate or a sudden, uncontrollable urge to do so. This can evolve into incontinence, where individuals experience involuntary leakage of urine. Such symptoms can be particularly distressing, impacting a person’s social life and self-esteem.
Bowel issues are primarily characterized by constipation, with patients experiencing infrequent bowel movements or difficulty passing stool. This can result in discomfort and reduced quality of life. Moreover, managing these symptoms can be particularly challenging due to the progressive nature of MSA. (4)
