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Incontinence

What Is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is the inability to control urination.

Different types of Urinary Incontinence

There are five types of urinary incontinence: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, mixed incontinence and functional or environmental incontinence.

Stress incontinence is the most common type of urinary incontinence and happens when a person leaks urine when they cough, sneeze, exercise or do anything that puts pressure on the bladder.

Urge incontinence occurs when the bladder muscles are too active. People with urge incontinence lose urine as soon as they feel a strong desire to go to the bathroom.

Overflow incontinence is the feeling of never completely emptying the bladder.

Mixed incontinence is the combination of stress and urge incontinence.

Functional or environmental incontinence occurs when people cannot get to the toilet or get a bedpan when they need it. The urinary system may work well, but physical or psychological disabilities prevent normal toilet usage.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Urinary Incontinence

  • What type of incontinence is it?
  • What is causing it?
  • What are treatment options?
  • Will medication help?
  • Is bladder surgery necessary?
  • How can the bladder be strengthened?

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