What kind of incontinence do i have

Postmenopausal women, in particular, tend to develop this condition, perhaps because of age-related changes in the bladder lining and muscle. African American women with incontinence are more likely to report symptoms of overactive bladder than stress incontinence, while the reverse is true in white women.

A condition called myofascial pelvic pain syndrome has been identified with symptoms that include overactive bladder accompanied by pain in the pelvic area or a sense of aching, heaviness, or burning.

In addition, infections of the urinary tract, bladder, or prostate can cause temporary urgency. Partial blockage of the urinary tract by a bladder stone, a tumor rarely , or, in men, an enlarged prostate a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH can cause urgency, frequency, and sometimes urge incontinence. Surgery for prostate cancer or BPH can trigger symptoms of overactive bladder, as can freezing cryotherapy and radiation seed treatment brachytherapy for prostate cancer.

Neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis can also result in urge incontinence, as can a stroke. If you have symptoms of both overactive bladder and stress incontinence, you likely have mixed incontinence, a combination of both types. Most women with incontinence have both stress and urge symptoms — a challenging situation. Mixed incontinence also occurs in men who have had prostate removal or surgery for an enlarged prostate, and in frail older people of either gender.

If your bladder never completely empties, you might experience urine leakage, with or without feeling a need to go. Overflow incontinence occurs when something blocks urine from flowing normally out of the bladder, as in the case of prostate enlargement that partially closes off the urethra.

It can also occur in both men and women if the bladder muscle becomes underactive the opposite of an overactive bladder so you don't feel an urge to urinate. Eventually the bladder becomes overfilled, or distended, pulling the urethra open and allowing urine to leak out. The bladder might also spasm at random times, causing leakage.

This condition is sometimes related to diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Men are much more frequently diagnosed with overflow incontinence than women because it is often caused by prostate-related conditions.

In addition to enlarged prostate, other possible causes of urine blockage include tumors, bladder stones, or scar tissue. If a woman has severe prolapse of her uterus or bladder meaning that the organ has dropped out of its proper position , her urethra can become kinked like a bent garden hose, interfering with the flow of urine.

Nerve damage from injuries, childbirth, past surgeries, or diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or shingles and aging often prevent the bladder muscle from contracting normally. Medications that prevent bladder muscle contraction or that make you unaware of the urge to urinate can also result in overflow incontinence. If your urinary tract is functioning properly but other illnesses or disabilities are preventing you from staying dry, you might have what is known as functional incontinence.

For example, if an illness rendered you unaware or unconcerned about the need to find a toilet, you would become incontinent.

Medications, dementia, or mental illness can decrease awareness of the need to find a toilet. Even if your urinary system is fine, it can be extremely difficult for you to avoid accidents if you have trouble getting to a toilet. This problem can affect anyone with a condition that makes it excessively difficult to move to the bathroom and undress in time. This includes problems as diverse as having arthritis, being hospitalized or restrained, or having a toilet located too far away.

If a medication such as a diuretic used to treat high blood pressure or heart failure causes you to produce abnormally large amounts of urine, you could develop incontinence that requires a change in treatment. If you make most of your urine at night, the result might be nocturnal incontinence, or bedwetting.

Reflex incontinence occurs when the bladder muscle contracts and urine leaks often in large amounts without any warning or urge. Urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine. It's a common problem thought to affect millions of people.

Find out more about the symptoms of urinary incontinence. See a GP if you have any type of urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence is a common problem and you should not feel embarrassed talking to them about your symptoms. Urinary incontinence can usually be diagnosed after a consultation with a GP, who will ask about your symptoms and may do a pelvic or rectal examination, depending on whether you have a vagina or a penis.

The GP may also suggest you keep a diary in which you note how much fluid you drink and how often you have to urinate. Find out about diagnosing urinary incontinence. Stress incontinence is usually the result of the weakening of or damage to the muscles used to prevent urination, such as the pelvic floor muscles and the urethral sphincter.

Urge incontinence is usually the result of overactivity of the detrusor muscles, which control the bladder. Overflow incontinence is often caused by an obstruction or blockage in your bladder, which prevents it from emptying fully. Total incontinence may be caused by a problem with the bladder from birth, a spinal injury, or a small, tunnel like hole that can form between the bladder and a nearby area fistula.

Find out more about the causes of urinary incontinence. You may also benefit from the use of incontinence products , such as absorbent pads and handheld urinals. Find out more about non-surgical treatments for urinary incontinence. Surgery may also be considered.

The procedures that are suitable for you will depend on the type of incontinence you have. Surgical treatment for stress incontinence, such as a sling procedure, is used to reduce pressure on the bladder or strengthen the muscles that control urination.

Learn about different types of urinary incontinence As you learn more about your neurogenic bladder dysfunction or bladder disorder, you probably know that one of the symptoms is incontinence. What is incontinence?

Types of incontinence The main types of urinary incontinence are stress, urge, mixed, overflow, and functional. Read More Understanding the Urinary System If you've been diagnosed with a neurogenic bladder disorder, it helps to learn some basic information about how your body works. Read More.

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Sorry, but we were unable to load this content. Please try again. Go Back Proceed. Urine loss during activities such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping, or lifting. Pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, pelvic radiation, surgical trauma. An occasional sudden need to urinate with large volume urine loss; can also exist without incontinence. A combination of any of the stress or urge incontinence common causes listed above.