If you're concerned about urinary incontinence, talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you determine which type of incontinence you have and recommend treatment options that may help.
The bladder is a complex system of muscles and nerves that control how much urine you urinate. When it works well, you don't leak urine.
Stress Incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence is a condition where urine leaks during activities that increase abdominal pressure. This can include coughing, sneezing or laughing. It can also happen during physical activity, such as jumping or running.
A common cause is the removal of part of the prostate gland in men, which can loosen the urethra, making it easier for urine to leak out. Women with this problem may also have weakened pelvic floor muscles.
Treatment options for stress incontinence range from medication and lifestyle adjustments to devices, injections or surgical procedures. Surgery is recommended when other treatments have failed to help relieve symptoms. Using incontinence underwear for men and women is a great option while treating your incontinence.
Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence is a type of urinary incontinence that happens when you have a sudden urge to urinate, even when your bladder isn't full. This is a common problem for women.
The causes of urge incontinence are unclear, but it is more common in older people. It can be caused by a number of things, including pelvic floor muscle weakness and weakened urethral muscles (the tubes that take urine out of the bladder).
You can treat it with behavioral treatments, medication, electrical stimulation or surgery. These options can help you live your life better.
It's important to see your doctor if you have urge incontinence because it can get worse over time and interfere with your daily activities. It also could lead to complications, such as a bladder infection or an inflammation in the bladder, kidneys or bloodstream.
Overflow incontinence
Overflow incontinence (OFI) is a common type of urinary incontinence that causes dribbles or leaks. It's caused by weakened muscles in the bladder, making it difficult to empty your bladder completely.
It may also be due to a blockage in your urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of your body. This can happen after prostate cancer surgery or radiation treatment.
The condition may also be related to diabetes, nerve damage or spinal cord injuries. It can be triggered by medicines like diuretics or hormone therapy.
Medications that affect your bladder contractions, such as anticholinergics and calcium channel blockers, can also cause overflow incontinence.
The best way to treat overflow incontinence is to talk to your GP about it. They can do a pelvic or rectal examination to see what's causing it and recommend treatments. They might suggest changing the types of products you use to manage your incontinence, such as using absorbent urinary pads and adult diapers.
Mixed incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a common problem that can affect your quality of life. It can be caused by a number of things, including pregnancy, childbirth or bladder or urinary tract infections.
Some women have a combination of symptoms that are called mixed incontinence. It often includes both stress and urge incontinence.
Stress incontinence occurs when you leak urine when your bladder is under pressure or when you do physical activity, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting something heavy.
You can use absorbent pads or diapers to relieve your incontinence. However, these products can be uncomfortable, costly and interfere with your daily activities.
The best way to manage incontinence is to find the cause and treat it. Your doctor can diagnose the cause of your incontinence and then work with you to develop a treatment plan.
If you have both stress and urge incontinence, surgery may be an option. It can be an invasive procedure, but it's a last resort.
Functional incontinence
Functional incontinence is a type of urinary incontinence that occurs because your bladder isn’t able to hold urine enough. This can be a result of other medical conditions, such as diabetes or arthritis, or from an illness or disability that keeps you from getting to the bathroom in time.
People with functional incontinence may also experience stress incontinence, which occurs when you exert pressure on your bladder by coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising. This can cause leakage from your underwear, pants or a pad.
Functional incontinence is sometimes caused by a physical or mental impairment, such as trouble speaking, a problem with walking, a fear of falling, or problems with eyesight. It can also be caused by medications, such as diuretics, that decrease awareness of your need to urinate. It can also be a symptom of dementia or mental confusion, which can interfere with messages between the brain and the bladder or bowel.
