Urinary Incontinence

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence refers to the condition of releasing urine involuntarily. Men and women are prone to the risk of developing this syndrome that becomes more common with age. There are different types of urinary incontinence. For example, 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 likely stress incontinence. If bladder muscles become too active, you may feel a strong urge to go to the bathroom when you have little urine in your bladder. This is likely urge incontinence or overactive bladder.

Causes of Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence can be caused by a person’s lifestyle, underlying medical conditions or physical problems. Your doctor can help determine the cause, and if it’s a temporary or persistent condition.

Common causes of temporary urinary incontinence can include:

• Alcohol consumption
• Over-hydration
• Dehydration
• Heavy caffeine intake
• Bladder irritation
• Side effects of medication
• Constipation
• Urinary tract infection

Persistent urinary incontinence can be caused by:

• Aging
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Uterus removal
• Painful bladder syndrome
• Side effects of prostate cancer treatment
• Enlarged prostate
• Bladder cancer or stones
• Neurological disorders
• Tumor or other urinary tract obstruction

Urinary Incontinence Symptoms

Symptoms can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting and more commonly include the following:

• Need to use the bathroom frequently and urgently
• Bed wetting
• Untimely urine leakage
• Feeling of extreme pressure in the pelvic area followed by the urgent need to urinate

Urinary Incontinence Treatment

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, or surgery. Some more common treatments include:

• Behavioral techniques, such as pelvic muscle exercises, bladder training, scheduled bathroom visits and avoiding alcohol, caffeine and acidic foods
• Medication, such as antispasmodic drugs, Imipramine or other antibiotics
• Electrical stimulation, such as the temporary insertion of electrodes in the vagina or rectum to stimulate and toughen the pelvic muscles
• Medical devices, such as urethral inserts or a pessary, both designed to prevent urine from leaking
• Surgery, typically performed as a last resort 

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