Urinary Incontinence: A Quick-Guide for Patients
What is it?
Urinary incontinence means leakage of urine or an inability to hold urine when you want to. Often, there are treatable causes of urinary incontinence.
Common Types & What to Look For
- Stress incontinence: Leaking when you cough, sneeze, lift or laugh.
- Urge incontinence (Overactive Bladder-type): A strong sudden need to urinate and leakage before reaching the toilet.
- Mixed incontinence: Features of both stress + urge types.
- Overflow incontinence: The bladder doesn’t empty fully; you drip or overflow.
- Functional incontinence: You may have normal bladder control but cannot reach the toilet in time (due to mobility, cognition, or environment).
Why It Happens & Risk Factors
- Weak pelvic floor muscles (childbirth, prostate surgery, aging)
- Nerve or bladder-muscle changes (neurological conditions, diabetes)
- Structural or urinary tract issues (e.g., enlarged prostate, obstruction)
- Medications, caffeine/alcohol, infections
- Mobility or cognitive issues making bathroom access difficult
What You Can Do: Habits & Lifestyle
- Pelvic floor muscle (Kegel) exercises: Strengthening key muscles helps many types of incontinence
- Bladder training & timed voiding: Ask your healthcare provider if you should consider going to the bathroom on a schedule or resisting urge a little longer to try to improve control.
- Avoid or reduce bladder irritants: caffeine, alcohol, large fluid intake before bedtime
- Work with your healthcare provider to manage weight, constipation, and mobility to reduce pressure or urgency.
- Make sure your bathroom, and the path to it, is safe and is easily accessed (especially if mobility is reduced).
Treatments & When to Seek Help
- If lifestyle and exercise changes aren’t helping, talk to your healthcare provider — there are medications, devices and surgical options that may work for you.
- Get evaluated if you have recurrent urinary tract infections, blood in urine, severe leaks, or inability to reach a toilet.
- Ask your doctor whether a bladder diary (tracking leaks, voids, fluid intake) could help tailor treatment.
- Always ask your healthcare provider for specific advice on when to call to report symptoms, and when to seek urgent/emergency care.
Key Takeaways
- Incontinence is common, but it is often treatable or manageable.
- Recognizing the type of incontinence you have is often the first step to determining appropriate care.
- Building strong pelvic muscles, optimizing bathroom habits and environment, and avoiding triggers are important steps you can take.
- Don’t hesitate to reach out for medical advice — improving incontinence can significantly enhance comfort, confidence and quality of life.
Sources:
- https://www.urologyhealth.org/educational-resources/incontinence-x3022
- https://medlineplus.gov/urinaryincontinence.html