Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence can include urine leakage with physical activity, sudden urgency, frequent urination, nighttime urination, or not making it to the bathroom in time.
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Recognize the Signs of Incontinence
Urine leakage with sneezing, coughing, laughing, exercising, or other physical activity
Sudden urinary urgency, frequent trips to the bathroom, or waking at night to urinate
Leakage that limits physical activity, social activity, or quality of life
Stress Urinary Incontinence
Stress urinary incontinence is loss of urine that occurs at the same time as physical activities that increase abdominal pressure, such as sneezing, coughing, laughing, and exercising. These activities can increase pressure within the bladder, which behaves like a balloon filled with liquid. The rise in pressure can push urine out through the urethra, especially when support to the urethra has been weakened.
Pregnancy and delivery can have significant effects on the mechanisms of continence. Vaginal delivery may stretch supportive tissues, muscles, and nerves, which can cause permanent defects even after post-pregnancy healing. This may lead to pelvic floor support problems for surrounding organs. Although urinary incontinence often resolves in the first few months after delivery, its initial presentation may signal the development of more troublesome incontinence in the future.
Some women with stress incontinence may notice only occasional leaks, such as during aggressive exercise, colds, allergies, or when the bladder is especially full. Others may have significant leakage with simple activities such as getting up from a chair or walking. Although severity varies, these symptoms can limit physical or social activities and have a serious impact on quality of life.
Urge Incontinence and Overactive Bladder
The term overactive bladder is sometimes used to refer to urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia, and urge incontinence. Frequency means more than eight voids in a 24-hour period. Urgency is a powerful urge to urinate that is difficult to put off. Nocturia means waking up two or more times at night to urinate. Urge incontinence is leakage of urine associated with an urge to urinate or not making it to the bathroom in time.
When urine leakage is accompanied by the sensation of needing to urinate, or the impending sense that a large leak is going to happen, this is often known as urge incontinence. Unlike stress incontinence, this usually represents a bladder squeeze or contraction occurring at an unwelcome time.
People with urge incontinence often also have increased urinary frequency, need to rush to the bathroom frequently, or wake more than once or twice at night to urinate. Some may notice severe urgency and leakage when driving into the driveway, placing the key in the front door, hearing running water, or experiencing temperature changes.
These are very common conditions, and their impact can vary widely. Their causes are less well understood than stress incontinence. Occasionally, there may be an underlying reason, such as neurologic or inflammatory conditions, but in most cases, no particular cause can be identified. Whether or not a cause is identified, the effects of overactive bladder and urge incontinence can be significant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is stress urinary incontinence?
Stress urinary incontinence is urine leakage that happens with physical activities that increase abdominal pressure, such as sneezing, coughing, laughing, or exercising.
What is urge incontinence?
Urge incontinence is leakage of urine associated with an urge to urinate or not making it to the bathroom in time. It often involves a bladder squeeze or contraction at an unwelcome time.
What is overactive bladder?
Overactive bladder may refer to urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia, or urge incontinence. This can include urinating more than eight times in 24 hours, a powerful urge to urinate, waking at night to urinate, or leakage related to urgency.
Can pregnancy and delivery contribute to urinary incontinence?
Pregnancy and delivery can affect continence. Vaginal delivery may stretch supportive tissues, muscles, and nerves, which can contribute to pelvic floor support problems and urinary incontinence.
Can urinary incontinence affect quality of life?
Yes. The source page notes that urinary incontinence can limit physical or social activities and have a serious impact on quality of life.
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