Urinary Incontinence: Urinary incontinence is when there's an involuntary loss of urine. There are many types of incontinence, including urge incontinence (overactive bladder), mixed incontinence, reflex incontinence, and stress incontinence. Potential causes of incontinence include overactive bladder muscles, weak bladder muscles, blockage of urine flow, and nerve damage. Treatment may involve dietary changes and exercise, including Kegel exercises and using vaginal weights.
Must Read Articles:
-
Bedwetting
Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is the involuntary passage of urine while sleeping. Causes of bedwetting include urinary tract infection, diabetes, emotional problems, neurological problems, pinworm infection, and excessive fluid intake. Treatment may incorporate moisture detectors, medication, and surgery. -
Understanding Bladder Control Medications
People who have bladder control problems have trouble stopping the flow of urine from the bladder. This problem is also called urinary incontinence. A number of medications are available to treat urinary incontinence. -
Bladder Control Problems
Bladder control problems, or urinary incontinence, affect over 13 million people in the U.S. Causes include urinary tract infection, overactive bladder, blocked urethra, medication side effect, and muscle weakness. Symptoms and signs include hematuria, straining, dribbling, frequency, and urgency. Treatment may incorporate behavioral therapy, medication, and surgery. -
Enlarged Prostate
Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH) As the prostate gland grows, it may press on the urethra and cause difficulty with urination. Symptoms and signs of an enlarged prostate include blood in the urine, the inability to urinate, frequent urination, and a slow flow or dribbling urine.Medications and surgery are available if an enlarged prostate is causing problems. A man's prostate gland usually starts to enlarge after he reaches age 40 years or middle age. -
Foley Catheter
A Foley catheter is a thin, sterile tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine. Because it can be left in place in the bladder for a period of time, it is also known as an indwelling catheter. -
Frequent Urination
Having to urinate more than eight times a day or waking up to go to the bathroom more than once a night is considered frequent urination. Symptoms include urgency, frequency, hesitancy, dribbling, straining, hematuria, and urinary incontinence. Treatment of frequent urination depends upon the underlying cause. -
Inability to Urinate
The inability to urinate (urinary retention) may be caused by an enlarged prostate, a urinary tract infection, or ruptured disc. Symptoms include abdominal pain and fever. Acute urinary retention requires a trip to the emergency department. -
Incontinence FAQs
Get answers to frequently asked questions about urinary incontinence types, causes, health factors, symptoms, tests, treatment, and exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. -
Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a type of urinary incontinence. Causes include urinary tract infection, kidney and bladder stones, bladder tumors, diabetic neuropathy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, dementia, and Parkinson's disease. Nocturia, urinary urgency, and urinary frequency are symptoms. Treatment will likely include a combination of behavioral therapy and medication. -
Prolapsed Bladder
Bladder prolapse is the name of a condition in which a woman's bladder descends into the vagina, usually resulting from the stress of childbirth or other bodily harm to the pelvis. Urinary difficulties, discomfort, and stress incontinence (urine leakage caused by sneezing, coughing, exertion, etc.) can result from a prolapsed bladder. -
Prolapsed Uterus
Prolapsed uterus is a condition where a portion or all of the uterus prolapses into our outside of the vagina. Causes of prolapsed uterus include pregnancy, obesity, menopause, advanced age, excessive weight lifting, and conditions that strain the abdomen (chronic coughing with bronchitis, asthma, or constipation). Treatment of a prolapsed uterus is surgery or a pessary. -
Stroke
Stroke is a medical emergency. When a person has a stroke, part of the blood supply to the brain is cut off or greatly decreased. There are two main types of stroke, ischemic and hemorrhagic. Stroke symptoms include dizziness, sudden headache, weakness in an arm or leg on the same side, weakness in the muscles of the face, difficulty speaking, vision problems, and more. Treatment of stroke depends on the type and severity of the stroke suffered. -
Urologic Dysfunction After Menopause
Urologic conditions that can occur around the time a woman goes through menopause include bladder control problems, bladder prolapse (descent of the bladder into the vagina), and urinary tract infections. Diagnosis of urologic problems may include: urinalysis, microscopy of the urine, and urine culture. Treatment may include behavioral modification, medication, and surgery.
Featured:
Bladder control problems, or urinary incontinence, affect over 13 million people in the U.S. Causes include urinary tract infection, overactive bladder, blocked urethra, medication side effect, and muscle weakness. Symptoms and signs include hematuria, straining, dribbling, frequency, and urgency. Treatment may incorporate behavioral therapy, medication, and surgery.
Expert Views and News
- FDA Pulls All Vaginal Mesh Products Off the Market
- Incontinence Drug May Help Ease Severe Hot Flashes
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy Tied to Fecal Incontine
- Urinary Incontinence Underreported in Young Women
- FDA Approves New Overactive Bladder Drug
- Bedwetting Misunderstood but Often Treatable
- Incontinence Drugs: Benefits and Harms Compared
- FDA: Repairing Pelvic Organ Prolapse With Surgical Mesh Risky
- Probiotics Relieve Constipation in Children?
- Bulking Agent May Help Fecal Incontinence
- Depression Linked to Urinary Incontinence in Men
- Stress Incontinence Sling Surgery: Which Is Best?
- Incontinence After Childbirth May Last Years
- Vitamin D Levels Tied to Incontinence
- Incontinence in Females Is Common, Study Says
Urinary Incontinence Topic Guide - Visuals
Slideshows, Pictures, Images, and Quizzes:
-
-
Slideshow
-
Slideshow
-
Slideshow
Urinary Incontinence Topic Guide - Medications and Vitamins
Medications:
SolifenacinSolifenacin is used to treat symptoms of overactive bladder, such as frequent or urgent urination, and incontinence (urine leakage)...learn more »
Tamsulosin (oral)Tamsulosin is an alpha-blocker that is used to improve urination in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate)...learn more »
HyoscyamineHyoscyamine is used to treat many different stomach and intestinal disorders, including peptic ulcer and irritable bowel syndrome. It is also used to contro...learn more »
Desmopressin (injection)Desmopressin is a man-made form of a hormone that occurs naturally in the pituitary gland. This hormone is important for many functions including blood flow...learn more »
Desmopressin (oral)Desmopressin is used to treat nighttime bed-wetting, central diabetes insipidus, and increased thirst and urination caused by head surgery or head trauma......learn more »
Urinary Incontinence Topic Guide – Related Topics
Related Topics:
Glaucoma Overview
Glaucoma can be caused by a number of eye diseases that can damage the optic nerve, typically by elevating pressure inside the eye, which is called intraocul...
learn more »
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer often has no symptoms. Screening includes a digital rectal examination, PSA, and urinalysis. Treatment depends upon age, the patient's medical c...learn more »
Coughs
A cough is a symptom of an underlying disease or condition. A chronic or persistent cough may signal certain lung conditions that should be evaluated by a healt...learn more »
Obesity
More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight, including at least one in five children. Nearly one-third are obese. Obesity is on the rise in our society ...learn more »
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) may be present in an individual, without any symptoms. Thus, it is called the "silent killer." Causes of high blood pressure ...learn more »
Seizures Emergencies
Seizures refer to uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain. Symptoms of seizures range from mild to severe and can lead to death. A number of factors can l...learn more »
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a term that refers to malfunctions or diseases of the nerves. Types of neuropathy include diabetic neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, ulnar neuropa...learn more »
Ultrasound
Ultrasound (sonography, Doppler study) is a non-invasive diagnostic medical procedure performed to exam the internal organs and tissues of the body. There are s...learn more »
HIV/AIDS
HIV has killed about 25 million individuals, and approximately 40 million people are currently living with the disease. Symptoms and signs of HIV include fever...learn more »
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an acute or chronic inflammation of the membranes that line the colon. Symptoms of UC include abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleedi...learn more »
Cystoscopy
Cystoscopy is a diagnostic procedure in which a tiny camera tool (cystoscope) is inserted into the patient's urethra to inspect Cystoscopy is the use of a scope...learn more »
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be thought of as an inflammatory process involving different areas of the central nervous system (CNS) at various points in time. Ea...learn more »
Cauda Equina Syndrome
Cauda equina syndrome is a condition that involves severe compression and inflammation of the nerves in the lower spine. Cauda equina syndrome requires emergenc...learn more »
Cellulitis
Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin and soft tissues that causes swelling, redness, tenderness and warmth. Treatment will involve antibiotics. Sever...learn more »
Genital Herpes
Genital herpes a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. Genital herpes is very common and is transmitted from person to person during sexual activity. Sig...learn more »
Vaginal Prolapse
Vaginal prolapse is a condition in which the structures like the uterus, rectum, urethra, bladder, small bowel, or the vagina itself, prolapses, or falls out...
learn more »
Abscess
An abscess is has several causes and can appear on many parts of the body, such as the dental, vaginal, and rectal areas. In general, home remedies or cures ...
learn more »
Electromyography (EMG)
Electromyography, or EMG, involves testing the electrical activity of muscles. Often, EMG testing is performed with another test that measures the conducting...
learn more »
Arthritis
Arthritis is inflammation of the joints. Arthritis causes include injury, abnormal metabolism (such as learn more »
Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer originates within the bladder, and may have several different causes, including
Interstitial Cystitis
Interstitial cystitis (IC or inflammation of the bladder) causes pain, urinary frequency, incontinence, painful urination, urgency, and nocturia. The cause of i...learn more »
Senior Health
As a natural part of aging, certain physiological changes take place in the body. learn more »