Urinary Incontinence in Women Slideshow Pictures Urinary Incontinence in Men Slideshow Pictures Food & Drinks That Make You Gotta Go Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

Stanley A Brosman, MD

Medical Editor:

Mary L Windle, Pharm D

Medical Editor:

Richard A Santucci, MD, FACS

Medical Editor:

Bradley Fields Schwartz, DO, FACS

When to Seek Medical Care

Urinary incontinence affects about 13 million people in the United States, predominantly women. This includes 10-35% of adults and 50% of the 1.5 million residents in nursing homes. As many as 60% of nursing home patients are incontinent, while 30% of elderly people living at home are incontinent.

Urinary incontinence is an underdiagnosed and underreported medical problem. About 50-70% of women with urinary incontinence do not go to the doctor for treatment because of social stigma. People with incontinence often live with this condition for six to nine years before seeking medical therapy. Living with urinary incontinence puts you at risk for rashes, sores, and skin and urinary tract infections. Effective treatments for this common problem are available in many cases.