Urinary incontinence refers to the loss of control over one’s capacity to hold and release urine. It becomes more prevalent with age but is not an inevitable part of aging.
There are three types of incontinence:
Stress Incontinence
It is the involuntary loss of control over urine due to actions that put abdominal pressure on the bladder. These include coughing, straining, lifting, and sneezing.
Urge Incontinence
It is the loss of urine that happens when an overwhelming urge to urinate cannot be halted.
Overflow Incontinence
This is the constant dribbling of urine associated with frequent urination and releasing in only small amounts.
A variety of factors contribute to the presence of incontinence. These include:
- Nerve damage
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Diabetes
- Spinal cord injury
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia
- External beam radiation from prostate cancer treatment
- Weak sphincter muscles
It is advisable to visit a urologist if you experience urinary incontinence. Treating the underlying cause will usually end the continued loss of bladder control.
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