Bladder Health

Types of urinary incontinence

Stress incontinence happens if you have urine leakage during everyday activities like sneezing, coughing, laughing or lifting heavy objects. It can come from weakened pelvic muscles that support the bladder. It’s the most common cause of leakage and happens in women who are pregnant, who’ve recently had children or who are going through menopause or hormonal changes, among other causes.

Urge incontinence occurs when bladder muscles become too active and you feel a strong, sudden urge to urinate, even if your bladder has little urine. Bladder infections, nerve damage, alcohol and some medications can contribute to urge incontinence. While more likely to happen in older women, this problem can occur at any age.

Functional incontinence also usually occurs in older women and it is not caused by urinary tract problems. Rather, it’s due to factors that make it hard for you to get to the bathroom in time – insufficient mobility, impaired dexterity or strange surroundings.

Other forms of incontinence may result from new medications or surgeries, faulty signals from the nervous system, or specific medical conditions. No matter what the cause, though, it’s important to let your health care provider know you symptoms early. Bladder control problems can be treated and managed successfully – you don’t have to live with them anymore.