Urinary Incontinence: Urinary incontinence is loss of bladder control. Symptoms can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. It can happen to anyone but it becomes more common with age.
The symptoms of urinary incontinence depend on the type you have. There are several types of urinary incontinence, but the most common are:
Stress Incontinence – when urine leaks out at times when your bladder is under pressure, for example when you cough or laugh. Most bladder control problems happen when muscles are too weak or too active. If the muscles that keep your bladder closed are weak, you may have accidents when you sneeze, laugh or lift a heavy object. This is stress incontinence.
Urge Incontinence – when urine leaks as you feel a sudden, intense urge to pass urine, or soon afterwards. Urinary incontinence or involuntary urination is any involuntary leakage of urine. If bladder muscles become too active, you may feel a strong urge to go to the bathroom every now and then. If you do not there is involuntary leakage of urine. There are other causes for incontinence such as prostate problems and nerve damage.
It is also possible to have a mixture of both stress and urge urinary incontinence.
Treatment depends on the type of problem you have and what best fits your lifestyle. It may include simple exercises, medicines, special devices or procedures prescribed by your doctor, or surgery. Urinary incontinence affects both men and women, but it tends to be more common in women overall.
Certain things can increase the chances of urinary incontinence developing, including:
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pregnancy and vaginal birth
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obesity
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a family history of incontinence
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increasing age – although incontinence is not an inevitable part of ageing
See your doctor if you have any type of urinary incontinence as this can be the first step towards finding a way to effectively manage the problem.
