Urinary Incontinence in Traditional Iranian Medicine

ICS (International continence society) has explained urinary incontinence as any loss of urine involuntarily. UI (urinary incontinence) is not a mortal condition but has many adverse effects on patients’ quality of life. Studies have shown a high prevalence of UI among women, especially in older ages and higher body mass index. Due to intervention of UI with religious activities, demand for treatment of UI is more serious in our country. It is believed that all the kinds of drug therapy and surgeries have many side side effects especially in old patients. On the other hand it seems that Iranian Traditional Medicine can manage this disease as a hypothesis. So a plan was programmed as a first step to review philosopher’s approach to diseases specially UI. Terms "salasolbol" and "bolfelferash" which mean loss of urine involuntarily and enuresis respectively, were considered equivalent for UI. Causes and treatments of these conditions were excluded and written in this review article. Based on ancient’s opinion, the most causes of UI is "cold" and "wet" of bladder and "esterkha" of external sphincter which make them be weak and lost their internal natural powers specially "maseke" which is bladder’s power for holding urine. Signs and symptoms of patients who suffer from UI, even their laboratories studies on the basis of traditional medicine, confirm this idea. It seems new view from an old but original frame of traditional medicine to UI can introduce effective way for treating urinary incontinence.